Romano drops huge hint on TWO Man Utd transfers after rivals move for Wharton | OneFootball

Fabrizio Romano has dropped telling hints on two rumoured Manchester United transfers this month, while Tottenham have made an initial move to sign key United target, Adam Wharton, and an insider has outlined exactly what the Red Devils will look and play like under Michael Carrick.

Romano on two Man Utd deals

Man Utd fans hoping for a busy winter window may be out of luck after Fabrizio Romano backed up a recent report from ESPN that claimed transfer movement is unlikely.

With just 17 games left on the calendar after bowing out of both cup competitions and no European campaign, ESPN stated interim boss, Michael Carrick, will be tasked with achieving Champions League qualification with those already at his disposal.

Taking to YouTube on Thursday when discussing what’s going on with Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee, Romano strongly hinted neither player will leave, and that both potential exits have been parked to one side.

Romano said: “For Mainoo, Napoli is still interested, but nothing is moving because at Man Utd there is no green light.”

The situation with Mainoo has gone “cold and completely quiet”, while Roma have moved for Aston Villa’s Donyell Malen after progress on signing Zirkzee couldn’t be made.

Romano rather tellingly concluded by stating: “Man Utd don’t exclude to stay with the same squad.” In other words, no one is expected to arrive and no one is expected to leave.

Tottenham threaten Man Utd’s Wharton plans

Additions in central midfield look like they’ll have to wait until the summer, at which point Man Utd will aim to sign at least one of their three top targets – Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton.

However, our insider, Dean Jones, revealed Tottenham are threatening Man Utd’s plans for Wharton after launching initial and ‘discreet enquiries’ into a move for the Crystal Palace ace.

Spurs have banked Conor Gallagher but have now fixed their gaze on landing the bigger prize of Wharton too. They’d love to strike a deal this month but are well aware any such move is far likelier to occur in the summer.

Jones has been informed Spurs now view Wharton as a ‘dream’ signing and as such, they’ll spare no expense when it comes time to putting hard numbers on the table.

Michael Carrick insight

Finally, transfer insider and lifelong Middlesbrough fan, Graeme Bailey, has shed light on how Michael Carrick – who previously managed Boro for three years – will set his team up at Old Trafford.

“Michael Carrick will be playing a 4-2-3-1,” said Bailey. “I’m very well-placed to comment on Michael Carrick having watched him very closely for three years at Middlesbrough. He plays a system that United fans will like, they really will.

“He plays two centre-halves with attacking full-backs. Not wing-backs, attacking full-backs. He plays a two – one of them holding, the other one pushing on.

“Interestingly, what he does with the 10 – this will be fascinating to see what he does – he plays a 10 behind the front 9, and then the two players wide of that can be either inverted or wide. Marcus Forss played there in the first year, then there was Riley McGree inverted. Chuba Akpom threw in a sensational season, his first season at Middlesbrough where he scored over 30 goals. He often played behind the frontman. Towards the end it was Cameron Archer who was there.

“So that number 10, I think Michael Carrick would love to play Matheus Cunha there. I think that would fit him down to the ground. But I think actually, he likes the frontmen, he likes a target man, so I think this squad will suit Carrick.

“What he does with the two holding players will be interesting…