Manchester United remain frustrated this summer in the transfer market after the Red Devils failed in their attempt to bring Dutch midfield star Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford to reunite with new boss Erik ten Hag in the Premier League, with the club missing out on their top target this window.
The Red Devils, who did well to bring in Eredivisie duo Lisandro Martínez and Tyrell Malacia from AFC Ajax and Feyenoord Rotterdam respectively as well as Danish star Christian Eriksen on a free transfer, still have to fill the void left in the wake of Paul Pogba’s departure back to Serie A giants Juventus.
But reports in The Sun have now linked United with interest in SSC Napoli’s Spanish international midfielder Fabián Ruiz.
Man Utd ‘make contact’ with Napoli star’s agent as they look to seal transfer https://t.co/JW4fq5JNaN
— Sun Sport (@SunSport) July 29, 2022
According to Emillia Hawkins, United has made contact with Ruiz’s agent over the possibility of a summer move to the Premier League giants given the frustration of missing out on De Jong.
Ruiz, who has won fifteen caps for Spain, has been a central figure at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for four seasons but has entered the last year of his contract in southern Italy and could be available at a cut price.
It is said that Ruiz has no intentions of signing an extension with I Partenopei which will force the club’s hand in selling him at a reduced price rather than losing him for free next summer, with an apparent €31m (£26m) price tag being placed on the player, which would see him be one of the more affordable midfielders available this summer.
The Gunners are rumored to still be in the market for another midfielder this summer and remain heavily linked with interest in Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans, but the price tag on Ruiz would make him a more affordable option for Mikel Arteta and club technical director Edu Gaspar.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies are also in the market for further reinforcements this summer after the successful January move for Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães last season as Newcastle remains intent on challenging the upper echelons in the Premier League as soon as possible.
For United, it may be prudent to move quickly if interest in Ruiz firms up in the near future, and if so, subsequent worries about creative figures in the senior squad under Ten Hag would quickly subside.
