Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has insisted the club will not bow to pressure and overpay in the summer transfer window, even as Sir Alex Ferguson’s former right-hand man Rene Meulensteen urges the club to splash out on England stars Harry Kane and Elliot Anderson.
Speaking on United’s Inside Carrington podcast, Berrada said the template from last summer – when the club moved quickly to bring in Matheus Cunha from Wolves, Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, striker Benjamin Sesko and goalkeeper Senne Lammens – would be replicated. “Whatever decisions we take will not just be for the short term but the long term,” he said.
“Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada says the club will not overpay in the transfer window, despite calls to sign England stars Harry Kane and Elliot Anderson.”
United have already agreed a £35m deal with Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Ederson, who will have his medical shortly before pre-season. They are also interested in West Ham’s £80m-rated Mateus Fernandes and want at least one more central midfielder, a striker back-up for Sesko, and a left-sided player to compete with Luke Shaw.
But Berrada stressed the club would not overpay. “We have to be prepared for any eventuality. We have a clear plan,” he said, adding that director of football Jason Wilcox and his team are well set up to execute it.
Meulensteen, speaking to Tipman Tips, disagreed with relying solely on young players. “I would rather see United bring in a more experienced striker,” he said, suggesting Harry Kane, though “probably out of reach at the moment”. He also pointed to Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta as a strong alternative with Premier League pedigree, and mentioned RB Salzburg’s young striker Kerim Alajbegović as a promising but unproven talent.
On midfield, Meulensteen said United need at least two or three new signings. He picked out Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, but warned: “Anderson comes with a massive price tag … he might be out of reach for United this summer.” He compared Anderson to Ederson, noting their similar qualities.
Despite the calls for big-name signings, Berrada’s message was clear: “We will not be swayed.” The club’s approach, driven by data and long-term planning, means they will walk away from deals that do not represent value – no matter how loud the advice from former allies.