New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is wasting no time in moving to bolster his squad with a transfer phone call made to secure their first signing of the summer.
United confirmed the appointment of the Dutchman and the boss alongside his agents landed in London last week ahead of getting his work underway at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag attended his first United match in person as he watched them lose against Crystal Palace on the final day of the season and he has been assessing the squad with a view to what needs done this summer.
Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Lee Grant and Nemanja Matic will all leave the club at the end of their contracts while Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly will be among those who the club will listen to offers for. There will need to be significant incomings to replenish the ranks and allow United to meet their objectives for next season.
Negotiations are thought to be ongoing with Villarreal defender Pau Torres whose representatives will ‘travel to England’ this week to speed-up the process. The Spain international is likely to be one of multiple players who United look to recruit in the coming months.
United have also ‘made a phone call’ to enquire over the availability and economic demands for Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. That is reported by Spanish media outlet Diario AS, who claim that United believe the Georgian international could compete for a first-team spot at Old Trafford alongside a more established number one.
That comes amid Grant leaving the club at the end of his contract this summer while Dean Henderson has also been linked with a move away from United this summer. David De Gea is likely to remain at the club, but he has once again been overlooked for the latest Spain international squad and has made multiple high-profile errors in recent seasons.
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Mamardashvili joined Valencia at the start of the season from Dinamo Tbilisi, initially on a one-year loan deal and assigned to play with the club’s reserve side. However, such was the impression he made on the club’s coaches, he was promoted to the first-team squad and established himself as first-choice ahead of Jasper Cillessen and Jaume Domenech.
The Georgian signed a permanent contract at Los Che through to the summer of 2024 and helped them to reach this year’s Copa del Rey final. It is said that Valencia would consider offers around £13million (€15m) for the shot-stopper and the club’s financial situation means that they are open to player sales this summer and the goalkeeper could be an asset.
However, no firm offer has been made by United and discussions remain at a primitive stage to assess his wage demands and whether the Spanish club would be open to selling the goalkeeper, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season.
