Ineos imprints on Manchester United’s transfer targets as the window heats up

These are early days for Ineos in the first transfer window at Manchester United and as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already said, they are finding their way with one arm tied behind their back at the moment. But their impact is becoming clear.

With Dan Ashworth still on gardening leave from Newcastle and Omar Berrada not set to start until the middle of next month, United are operating without two key appointments at Ineos at the moment, leaving technical director Jason Wilcox as the club’s most powerful executive.

Despite the reversal of the post-season review and the decision to keep Erik ten Hag, with the ensuing discussions over his transfer influence, United are making early moves in the window, which will please the Dutchman.

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They have already had a £43m bid rejected by Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite, are considering triggering Joshua Zirkzee’s release clause at Bologna and have now shown an interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte. All of these potential deals have something in common and match Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stated desire for how to operate the market.

“I’d rather sign the next Mbappe than spend a fortune buying success. It’s not that smart to buy Mbappe,” he said on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast. “Anybody could see that. It’s more difficult to find the next Mbappe or the next Jude Bellingham or the next Roy Keane.”

Before that, Ratcliffe also discussed his ideal transfer target to United in February.

“I think in terms of the nature of the players, you want Manchester United types of players… Manchester United’s style of play is attacking football, exciting football, bringing in the youth,” he said.

“You want players who commit. You want players who play 90 minutes or 97 minutes ago or 100 or whatever the number is. These are the types of players you want playing for Manchester United.

“We like youth. The academy is very, very important to us. It’s probably the most successful academy in football in terms of the number of players that have come through.”

Making the most of the academy, he will be a key tenant of the Ineos operation, but there will also be an attempt to lower the average age of signings, with Branthwaite, Zirkzee and Ugarte all under 23 and none will cost more than £ . 50m to £60m.

Essentially, it provides value for United. These are players who should improve the squad – and Ratcliffe has talked about signing players to fit a certain style – but they have even more value to extract from them if the moves are successful.

These three are the profile of the players Ratcliffe wants United to target. None of Branthwaite, Zirkzee or Ugarte are superstars yet. Branthwaite, 21, has not been included in England’s Euro 2024 squad despite Harry Maguire’s injury, and although Zirkzee was a late call-up for the Netherlands, he is yet to play a minute of the tournament.

Ugarte is a regular in the Uruguay squad and his first season at PSG was encouraging, but he was on the bench for all six Champions League knockout games, playing just 23 minutes. More to come.

Ineos will be hoping that the conditions at United will allow the trio to progress to the next level. This is the transfer strategy Ratcliffe wants to pursue.