United move closer to the new season
Manchester United are one game closer to the new Premier League season. Michael Carrick's squad has so far only been bolstered by three new senior arrivals.
United fans were made to wait for their club to spring into action this window but were rewarded by a flurry of incomings. Andrey Santos was quickly followed by ex-Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow and Youri Tielemans through the door. Young prospects in Tynan Thompson and Kit Margetson were also snapped up.
Their latest pre-season outing saw them defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Stockholm. But one position that the club are keen to reinforce is left-back.
Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui can operate there, but a surprise move for Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly has been mooted. United have long held an interest in the defender and another transfer that might be completed this week could enable Carrick's side to pounce.
Mirror Football takes a look at the latest transfer news out of Old Trafford.
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United were first linked with Lewis-Skelly last year when he found himself falling down the left-back pecking order at Arsenal. Both Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie were getting more minutes. This was soon resolved when Mikel Arteta moved the 19-year-old into midfield and he impressed.
However, Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes is set for a Gunners medical on Monday, according to The Times. If the Brazilian does sign, he'll become one more star Lewis-Skelly has to compete with for first-team minutes. Not to mention, his reported £80m transfer sum will leave a dent.
Any fee Arsenal get from selling Lewis-Skelly would be pure profit when taking into account Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, so if United lodge the right offer, it could be too good to turn down.
The Independent reports that they are currently waiting to see whether the Gunners are open to doing business regarding Lewis-Skelly and that United's interest remains strong.
On the outgoings front, reports from Italy suggest Joshua Zirkzee has agreed to join Juventus on loan with no obligation to buy. The Dutch forward does not appear to be part of Carrick's first-team plans.
United bought Zirkzee for £36m in 2024 and he became the first signing under the ownership of INEOS. He previously played in Italy with Bologna.
It is understood that Zirkzee has become a difficult player to sell and, having not been able to cut it at United, is far more likely to head out on loan, either with or without an option to buy.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Zirkzee has agreed to such a deal with Juventus and has already
'said yes'to the Italian outfit. However, the move is hinging on the Old Lady being able to offload striker Jonathan David.
Background on United's transfer plans
Manchester United's left-back search has already featured in earlier transfer coverage, with the club weighing up options as Michael Carrick shapes the squad. Their latest interest in Myles Lewis-Skelly fits into that wider plan, while outgoings remain part of the picture too.
You can read more in Michael Carrick sets fresh Man Utd transfer demand as Premier League targets emerge and Man Utd transfer update: Lewis Hall move approved as Alex Scott opens door to Old Trafford.
