Amid Luke Shaw’s continued injury struggles, reports have now indicated that INEOS can afford to sign one particular defender who’d replace the England international.
Man Utd transfer news
Shaw’s injury struggles are hardly new. The left-back has struggled to avoid spells on the sideline for a number of years and this season has so far been no different. After working his way back to fitness to play a part for England at Euro 2024, Shaw returned to Manchester United with an injury blow, leaving Erik ten Hag with no choice but to turn to Diogo Dalot.
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It’s a problem that the Red Devils must solve and one that many around Old Trafford may just back them to do after the summer that they’ve just enjoyed. In Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first summer at the helm alongside sporting director Dan Ashworth, Manchester United ticked every box in the transfer market. Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee all arrived to strengthen Ten Hag’s side.
Now, when 2025 arrives, Ratcliffe and Ashworth may well turn their attention towards finally replacing Shaw and welcoming a reliable option in his place at Old Trafford.
According to reports in Spain, INEOS can afford to sign Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth in 2025 for Manchester United in a move that would see the Red Devils beat Liverpool and Chelsea to the Hungarian’s signature.
This comes despite the fact that the Cherries are yet to set their price, perhaps highlighting Ratcliffe’s riches in abundance. Having signed Kerkez for a reported £15.5m last summer, it will certainly be interesting to see just how much Bournemouth demand for their left-back next year.
At 20 years old, Kerkez fits the calibre of player that INEOS prefer to sign and one that would ease Ten Hag’s left-back woes once and for all.
"Superb" Kerkez would solve Man Utd's left-back problem
By the 2025/26 campaign, Manchester United could field an entirely new back four to the one that Ten Hag just had at his disposal last season if they sign Kerkez. The Hungarian would join De Ligt, Yoro and Mazraoui in quite the rebuild that would need to pay dividends at Old Trafford. Putting an end to their left-back troubles, the 20-year-old is capable of replicating Shaw’s quality.
Progressive Carries
2.10
0.93
Tackles Won
1.19
0.75
Ball Recoveries
4.25
5.51
Interceptions
0.91
0.56
Already outperforming the Manchester United man, Kerkez should only step things up even further in his second season in the Premier League, likely increasing his price tag ahead of next summer as a result.
The Bournemouth left-back has been earning high praise for some time, even before his time at the Cherries, with Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig dubbing him “superb” back in 2022.
Now, he’s deservedly attracting interest from the very top of the Premier League to potentially force him into the biggest decision of his career so far in 2025 in what United will hope ends in a move to Old Trafford.
