Manchester United are pulling out all the stops across different time zones as they look to perfect their plans for the upcoming season .
While Erik ten Hag and his squad are touring the US, INEOS and other key figures at Old Trafford are working tirelessly to finalise additional transfers - both incoming and outgoing.
Leny Yoro, who is set to miss the first three months of the season, and Joshua Zirkzee have already been brought in from Lille and Bologna respectively. And United are open to bringing on board up to three new centre-backs, as well as another left-back and midfielder. However, these potential moves hinge on players leaving the club.
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One player who is on United's radar is Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, who has been left out of the Bayern Munich squad that will tour South Korea during pre-season. The 24-year-old looks set to leave the Allianz Arena this summer after just two years.
De Ligt is said to have verbally agreed personal terms with United. However, United and Bayern are yet to see eye-to-eye on a fee for the Dutchman. Despite limited playing time at Euro 2024 this summer, de Ligt has been granted extended leave following the Netherlands run to the semi-finals. Should he move to Old Trafford, he will be behind schedule.
But Bayern's decision not to bring De Ligt out to South Korea could potentially lead to his transfer being fast-tracked, with the new Premier League season just over two weeks away.
The Bundesliga side are reportedly asking for $54m (£42m/€50m) for de Ligt, a figure United right now are unwilling to meet. However, with Yoro set to be sidelined for three months after coming off injured in United's pre-season clash with Arsenal in the US, their hand might have just been forced to make a move for the Bayern defender.
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One way they could look to raise funds for de Ligt would be to sell on midfielder Scott McTominay, who, as an academy graduate, represents pure profit from a PSR perspective. Turkish reports claim the midfielder has 'agreed personal terms' with Galatasaray over a possible move, with Fulham and West Ham United also said to be interested in McTominay.
Galatasaray reportedly offered the player a weekly wage of £89,000. However, their initial bid of $16m (£12.6m/€14.9m) is considered low by United, with reports suggesting that Galatasaray or any other interested parties would need to double that amount to $32m (£25.2m/€29.8m) to stand a chance of signing him.
Liverpool.com says: "Leny Yoro's injury means United have to sign another defender this summer. Last season they ended up playing Casemiro and Jonny Evans at the heart of their defence due to injuries to Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof, something which they can not repeat this term if they want to be successful.
"The injury to Yoro, who is only 18, is a bitter blow to United, who will have wanted to bed the defender in at the beginning of the season to get him used to life in the Premier League. Now, he will not be afforded that luxury. And if United start the season poorly, he could be thrown into the fire as soon as he returns from injury, which is, despite his quality, a less than ideal situation."
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