Manchester United are monitoring Bournemouth duo Junior Kroupi and Marcos Senesi ahead of what is shaping up to be a summer of change at the Vitality Stadium.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that manager Andoni Iraola – who has been linked with the United job – will leave the Cherries at the end of the season, and he is unlikely to be the only departure.
Kroupi is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, notably Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as teams in Spain. The talented 19-year-old forward is well known to United after scoring the equaliser in Bournemouth’s 4-4 draw at Old Trafford and again in the 2-2 draw on the south coast last month.
Meanwhile, Senesi will leave the Vitality at the end of the season after four years, and the 28-year-old Argentina centre back is of interest to United and other clubs because he will be a free agent. Chelsea and Tottenham, if they stay up, are also expected to be in contention.
Among the other players on United’s radar this summer are two youngsters: Jeremy Monga, the 16-year-old Leicester City winger, and Kennet Eichhorn, also 16, who plays as a defensive midfielder for Hertha Berlin.
Head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that United’s bid for Champions League qualification will shape the club’s transfer strategy. Despite Monday’s surprise defeat by Leeds, United are well on course to finish in the top-five.
Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi (left) and talented young striker Junior Kroupi (right) are both on Manchester United’s radar ahead of the summer
‘The Champions League just brings so many positive things,’ said Carrick. ‘It’s where we want to be. It has ramifications for so many different things – players staying, players coming in, financially all sorts of different things.
‘There’s obviously work that’s going into planning for the summer, there has to be. If you finish in certain places in the league, financially, it makes a lot of difference.
‘But there’s certainly work going on in terms of what can be done in trying to move forward in improving the squad and making the best of what we’ve got.’
Harry’s waiting game
Having launched an appeal against Lisandro Martinez’s red card in the loss to Leeds at Old Trafford on Monday night, United are still waiting to find out if Harry Maguire’s ban will be extended.
Martinez returned from a two-month injury lay-off to replace Maguire in central defence, but was sent off in the second half for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail after VAR official John Brooks spotted the incident and advised referee Paul Tierney to go to the monitor.
Carrick described it as a ‘shocking decision’ and said he would be discussing an appeal with club bosses, which was duly lodged on Tuesday.
As it stands, Martinez will serve a three-match ban for violent conduct and miss the games against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool.
Maguire missed the defeat by Leeds while serving a one-match ban for his sending-off in the previous game at Bournemouth, but is waiting to hear if he will be hit with an additional suspension for his conduct towards the fourth official at the Vitality Stadium.
The possibility of losing two senior central defenders at a key stage of the season is worrying for United, particularly with no sign of Matthijs de Ligt returning from his long-term back injury anytime soon.
Lisandro Martinez was sent off against Leeds for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail, and as it stands is set to serve a three-game ban
Harry Maguire’s one-game ban for being sent off against Bournemouth could yet be extended
Ugarte’s no Toon target
Manuel Ugarte’s days at United may appear to be numbered, but it’s unlikely that his next destination will be Newcastle.
The Uruguay international was handed his first start under Carrick on Monday after Kobbie Mainoo suffered a minor knock in training and was rested as a precaution.
United have only won once out of the 10 starts Ugarte has made this season, and his performance against Leeds only hardened the view that the club will look to cut their losses on the £52million midfielder this summer.
There has been speculation that Newcastle are one of the clubs bidding to sign Ugarte, which might suit United given their interest in Sandro Tonali. But it’s understood Galatasaray, Juventus, Ajax and Napoli are far more likely to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain player.
Bayindir edges closer to Besiktas
Another United player set to move on this summer is No2 goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
Confidential revealed last week that a return to Turkey is on the cards for Bayindir after United rejected a late bid from Besiktas for him in the January transfer window.
It’s understood Bayindir’s representatives have now agreed personal terms with Besiktas, and the deal should go through if the Turkish club can settle on a transfer fee with United. That shouldn’t be a major stumbling block given that the club only paid Fenerbahce £4.3m for him in 2023.
Andre Onana is also expected to leave United at the end of his loan at Trabzonspor, although veteran Tom Heaton could be offered a new one-year deal.
Back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir looks set to move to Besiktas in the summer, having agreed personal terms with the Turkish club
Old Trafford designers focus on San Siro
There has been plenty of positivity coming out of Old Trafford regarding plans for a new £2billion rebuild, but it looks as though the design team at Foster + Partners are more likely to see their vision for a new San Siro in Milan take shape first.
After the first anniversary of the unveiling of the ‘tented’ 100,000-seater venue at Fosters HQ was met with scepticism in some quarters last month, United insisted that progress is being made in discussions with Freightliner to acquire crucial land at the back of Old Trafford and suggested that a planning application is on the horizon.
Talks are continuing to find private investment for the new stadium and public funding for the wider regeneration project.
Collette Roche, the CEO of new stadium development, also spoke to the Inside Carrington podcast to express her hopes that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘Wembley of the North’ is still on course to meet its target of hosting the Women’s World Cup final in 2035.
It’s a complicated business but no more so than in Italy where AC Milan and Inter have shared the San Siro since 1947 and now plan to rebuild it with the help of Fosters.
Plans for the new 71,500-capacity stadium took a big step forward at the end of last month when authorities launched the strategic environmental assessment – an important bureaucratic process in enabling construction to begin.
Once the designers at Fosters reveal their plans, work could start as early as 2027 with the aim of being ready for Euro 2032, which is being co-hosted by Italy and Turkey.
Foster + Partners’ illustration of United’s prospective ‘Wembley of the North’, released in March last year
Snooker loopy
There were plenty of familiar faces in the directors’ box on Monday night, whether that be the Fletcher family, waiting to see if son Tyler got on from the bench, or FA technical director John McDermott, keeping tabs on numerous players pushing for a World Cup spot.
But it was those flanking legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson who proved a hit on the night.
Iconic snooker pair Ken Doherty and Dennis Taylor found themselves at the Leeds game as guests of Ferguson, a massive snooker fan.
They were able to laugh as they reminisced on tales of Ferguson inviting Doherty to United’s final game of the 1996-97 title-winning season, only for the snooker icon to assume he was being pranked.
Robbo’s Carrington invite
Carrick has invited United legend Bryan Robson to Carrington to watch the team train. Confidential understands Robson has visited a couple of times since February and has an open invitation to go back.
The former United captain is said to have observed some training sessions, and then sat down with Carrick and the coaching staff in the canteen afterwards to share his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Robson was at Aintree on Thursday at the start of the Grand National festival. Ferguson made an appearance on Friday when he was briefly interviewed with Ian Rush, who revealed that the United boss tried to sign him from Juventus at the start of his Old Trafford reign.
However, Kenny Dalglish stepped in to make sure Rush rejoined Liverpool rather than make a shock move to United. The frosty relationship between Dalglish and Ferguson has thawed in retirement, and the two men were pictured enjoying a meal together at Aintree.
United legend Bryan Robson has visited first-team training at Carrington several times this year
Ex-players get a Brucie bonus
Robson and Steve Bruce will be the guest speakers at a dinner at Old Trafford on Thursday night as the Association of Former Manchester United Players continue their fund-raising efforts despite losing £40,000 of support from the club.
The AFMUP had to cancel two of their four events last year after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe withdrew the annual donation as part of his cost-cutting measures.
In fairness to United, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox each attended the two functions last year, and the club also donated raffle prizes.
More recently, United matched a £5,000 donation from the AFMUP to buy a wheelchair for John Aston after he suffered a stroke and contracted sepsis, although the 1968 European Cup winner is still struggling to pay his ongoing medical bills.
Committee member John Gubba told The i Paper last month: ‘We’re determined to bring the AFMUP back from the brink. We had to cancel two dinners and one golf day last year as a result of the funding being taken away and the future looked bleak.
‘It seems like a small amount but over the years the AFMUP turned £40,000 sponsorship from United into more than £2m by using it to stage those fund-raising dinners and golf days.
‘Our next dinner at Old Trafford on April 16 definitely goes ahead. We owe it to the former players who started this charity over 40 years ago to carry on – we refuse to let the association die.’
As well as former captains Robson and Bruce taking part in a live Q&A, there will be a three-course meal and silent auction.
United’s chief executive Omar Berrada (right) and director of football Jason Wilcox each attended the two AFMUP functions last year
Under 21s stick with Leigh
One hot topic around United’s academy in recent days surrounded whether the Under 21s are about to find themselves a new home.
Reports had emerged that Rochdale’s ground was about to be the new base for the Under 21s heading into next season.
But Confidential understands that while this was a consideration at one stage for United, bosses have ultimately decided to stick with Leigh Sports Village.
Attendances have dwindled this season for academy games at Leigh, so much so that only half a stand gets opened up for supporters, compared to the entire stand that was used for most matches last season.
But United’s higher-ups are satisfied with the arrangement, which also sees the women’s team play home games there, for the foreseeable future.
