SIR JIM RATCLIFFE TOLD £80M MAN UTD FORWARD TARGETS ARE ‘PROPER PLAYERS’ WHO WOULD ECLIPSE CURRENT STARS
Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke has urged his old club to raid a Premier League rival for two sensational forwards who would have an immediate impact at Old Trafford.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to undergo a major overhaul of the Red Devils’ first-team squad this summer with the INEOS chief ready to set down a marker, which might even include a new man at the helm to replace Erik ten Hag.
Ratcliffe is fully aware that he needs to strengthen most areas of the United squad, although Ten Hag has had real issues getting his attack to fire this season.
United are ranked joint-13th in the Premier League alongside struggling Luton Town for goals with 47 – 30 fewer than leaders Arsenal.
Much of that is down to big-money signing Rasmus Hojlund’s slow start to life at Old Trafford, coupled with his injury issues, while Marcus Rashford has not been anything like the force he was last season.
Ten Hag favourite Antony has also struggled badly on the goals and assists front, leaving Alejandro Garnacho as the most consistent performer for the Dutchman in a season of struggle for the Red Devils.
However, Yorke believes that splashing out big money on Crystal Palace duo Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise would “improve Manchester United without a shadow of a doubt”.
“‘Man United should go buy two Crystal Palace players right now, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, without a doubt. Those two young boys are the players Man United need at the club right now,” the former forward told TVSportGuide.
“They’re young, great talents and would improve the club. In two or three years time, they would be coming into the best part of their careers and they’d be integrated into the Man United side by then.
“Olise and Eze are proper players, they have some of the best potential I’ve ever seen. These two kids improve Man United’s attack, without a shadow of a doubt.
“The deals should be done already, try chucking £80million or something like that for both of them.”
Palace pair set to spark summer transfer battle
Though they have both struggled with injury issues this campaign, Eze, 25, and Olise, 22, are among the best attacking talents in the league outside of the so-called ‘big six’, recording 15 goals and nine assists between them.
However, trying to bring them to Old Trafford as a pair could be hugely problematic given that so many other Premier League rivals are also chasing their signatures.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham have all been linked with Eze and Olise, although the latter has previously revealed that he would prefer a move to Old Trafford if he were to leave South London.
The French winger looked set to join Chelsea last summer but instead signed a new contract with Palace which reportedly contains a release clause of around £70million, and it is believed that INEOS have made him one of their top targets.
READ MORE: Man Utd in pole position to sign new Martin Odegaard as INEOS brush Arsenal, Man City aside
As for Eze, the former QPR standout could cost in the region of £50m. To that end, it appears that Yorke may be a little off with his maths if United are to try and land the destructive duo.
Ten Hag’s men are back in action on Wednesday evening when they host struggling Sheffield United in the Premier League.
2024-04-23T20:06:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd