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In the wake of the Premier League’s green light for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to acquire a 25% stake in Manchester United, with the Ineos group taking over football operations, the club is rumored to be eyeing significant player acquisitions under the new ownership. Among the names floated around are Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, Wolves’ Pedro Neto, and Juventus’ Gleison Bremer, hinting at a substantial overhaul aimed at reviving the club’s fortunes.
Louis Saha, a former striker for Manchester United, has voiced his opinion on the matter, suggesting that the club should focus its attention on securing Bayern Munich duo Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies. Both players are nearing the final year of their contracts, making them potentially valuable targets. Saha praised Kimmich for his ability to control the midfield and lauded Davies for his speed and offensive capabilities from the left-back position.
Speaking to Betfred, Saha highlighted, “They are two extremely experienced players, especially Kimmich,” praising Kimmich’s fitness and game management skills and acknowledging both players’ undeniable quality.
“They are two extremely experienced players, especially Kimmich,” he told Betfred. “Kimmich would obviously be a great fit because he’s one of the fittest players in Europe and is capable of running games and is very slick. He and Davies are both quality players, there’s no doubting that.”
Saha also touched on the challenges of transfer strategies, pointing out that success is not guaranteed even with a sound plan. He referenced Mason Mount’s situation as an example of how complex player acquisitions can be, emphasising the importance of a player’s character, adaptability to the Premier League, and the overall team dynamics.
“Going for players with one year remaining on their contract is a smart strategy, but sometimes it doesn’t work out,” Saha added. “At this moment, Mason Mount hasn’t been a success at Manchester United, so ultimately it’s dependent on the character of the players, their suitability to the Premier League, the style of the team and many other factors.
The competition for players whose contracts are expiring is fierce, and Saha noted that Manchester United’s ability to offer Champions League football could be a determining factor in their pursuit of top talent. The necessity for substantial investment in new talent is critical for Manchester United to stay competitive with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, according to Saha, who warns that failure to do so could significantly set the club back in its ambitions.
“Other teams will be interested in these players if their contracts are running down, so it won’t be easy for Manchester United to pull off any of these signings. If Manchester United are unable to offer these players Champions League next season, then that will be an advantage to certain other clubs looking to sign them.”
