Manchester United aims to swap out Andre Onana with a prominent figure from LaLiga, as Jorg Schmadtke pushes for Liverpool to secure a fresh attacker, while Chelsea prioritizes a new striker valued at €100m for the January transfer window.
RATCLIFFE SETS SIGHTS ON MAN UTD CAPTURE OF VALENCIA’S MAMARDASHVILI
The fallout from Manchester United’s untimely exit from the Champions League and European competitions as a whole might extend to some of their underperforming players. The Red Devils’ elimination from Europe came after a lackluster performance, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat against Bayern, resulting in their fourth loss out of six matches. Additionally, it marked the team’s sixth home defeat across all competitions this season.
With incoming minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe poised to finalize his stake in the club, he’s expected to take control of all incoming and outgoing transfers at Old Trafford. There are behind-the-scenes rumblings suggesting Ratcliffe has been critical of several high-profile signings at United who haven’t lived up to expectations.
Reports from Spain hint that struggling goalkeeper Andre Onana might be the first casualty under Ratcliffe’s scrutiny. Despite United’s substantial investment of £47.1m in Onana, the Cameroonian goalkeeper’s performance, particularly conceding 15 goals in six UCL matches, has left Ratcliffe dissatisfied. Consequently, there’s a push for United to secure an upgrade in goalkeeping quality at the earliest opportunity.
Valencia’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is reportedly Ratcliffe’s top choice to replace Onana, with a potential €40m (£34.3m) bid being prepared for 2024, although it remains uncertain if the move will happen in January. Ratcliffe, it’s believed, is inclined to make this move by the summer transfer window at the latest.
Mamardashvili, standing at 6ft 6in, has showcased his prowess during his tenure at Los Che, gaining attention for his performances. His market value has surged to an estimated range of €35m – €40m (£30m – £34.4m) by Valencia. While Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, also eyes reinforcements in the goalkeeping department and desires a new spine for the team, it’s Manchester United that appears primed to potentially initiate the pursuit, given Valencia’s financial needs for their squad restructuring.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper remains contracted to Valencia until the summer of 2027 and has notched 23 clean sheets from 79 appearances in all competitions for Ruben Baraja’s side.