Manchester United are just days away from the start of the Premier League season but could still make further moves in the transfer market.
Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have all linked up with their new teammates ahead of the season opener against Brighton & Hove Albion, though it remains to be seen how many of the new signings will be involved. With nearly four weeks of the transfer window open, however, there may still be more arrivals.
Frenkie de Jong remains on United's radar after a summer-long pursuit, while Benjamin Sesko is a newer name on their list. Here are the latest news lines from around Old Trafford, including updates on the two targets.
De Jong change may be too late
Manchester United have reportedly softened their stance on Frenkie de Jong as they look to get a deal over the line. However, their change of approach may be too late.
The Dutch midfielder's future remains uncertain going into the new season, amid a contract controversy involving current club Barcelona. He is owed £15m in deferred wages, and the stance of the La Liga club could impact his future.
United are prepared to capitalise by helping pay a seven-figure lump sum on top of their agreed transfer fee, according to reports. However, with Chelsea also now in the mix for the former Ajax man, there's no guarantee United would be able to win the race.
Sesko opportunity missed
As Manchester United continue to track Benjamin Sesko, it has emerged that the Slovenian youngster could have joined even earlier. The young forward is now at Red Bull Salzburg, but United reportedly missed out on the chance to sign him on the cheap before he moved to Austria.
According to The Athletic, United were unprepared to fork out £2.5m for Sesko when he was 16 and still at Domzale, but his current club are now looking for more than 10 times as much. After scoring for fun on loan at Liefering, he has established himself at his parent club.
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With figures as high as £50m being quoted, United may opt to use their budget elsewhere. Mirror Football has taken a closer look at the state of play with weeks remaining to get a deal through.
Ten Hag warned over top four
Former England midfielder Joe Cole has warned Man Utd they're not among the five teams he things will be battling it out for a top four finish. Indeed, he has compared their situation to the one facing Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers in 2012 when he was at Anfield.
"I can't see Man Utd closing the gap," Cole, speaking exclusively via BT Sport Pods, told Mirror Football. "If they do the same as they did last year with a new manager, I think it's levelling out now and then they'll have to rebuild like Liverpool did."
Man Utd finished sixth last season, 13 points outside the top four. Despite the addition of a new manager and three new players, Cole thinks they will have too much to do.
