Expected to intensify: Serie A giants plotting audacious raid on United for versatile World Cup genius – report

Manchester United have officially announced their first signing of the summer, while also wrapping up two more deals. Andrey Santos is the first through the door, with Karl Darlow and Youri Tielemans set to follow. It was always expected to be a busy summer for the Red Devils, with head coach Michael Carrick insisting on a midfield revamp and also calling for reinforcements out wide and up front. However, INEOS will be well aware of the need to balance the books with player sales, with Rasmus Hojlund the only major departure so far. Player sales needed at United Casemiro and Jadon Sancho leaving means the 20-time English league champions are saving a lot on wages, but they need more. Marcus Rashford is expected to leave, despite Carrick’s offer of reintegration. Noussair Mazraoui could follow the Mancunian out of the door. The Moroccan was impressive at the World Cup, and the Old Trafford faithful hold the 28-year-old in high esteem due to his versatility. The former Bayern Munich ace can play both as a right-back and left-back, and has also been deployed as a midfielder at times. Amorim keen to reunite with Noussair Mazraoui However, INEOS could decide to cash in on the Morocco international this summer, with AC Milan chasing his signature. Former United boss Ruben Amorim remains keen on a reunion, with Africa Foot reporting that discussions between both clubs will intensify in the coming days. “According to exclusive information obtained by Africafoot, AC Milan has made Moroccan international Noussair Mazraoui one of its priorities to strengthen the right-back position during this summer transfer window. “Discussions are expected to intensify in the coming days to assess the feasibility of a transfer. The Rossoneri believe the Moroccan’s experience at the highest European level, in both the Champions League and the Premier League, would be a major asset to the team. AC Milan preparing to intensify talks “For its part, Manchester United has yet to decide on the future of the Atlas Lion. The coming days should be decisive in determining the Red Devils’ intentions, while AC Milan hopes to quickly advance negotiations in order to finalise a deal considered a priority before the start of the new season.” Before green-lighting a sale, United need to take stock of the players at their disposal. Currently, Carrick only has Diogo Dalot as a specialist right-back, not to mention the lack of a backup for Luke Shaw. Both these hats can be donned by Noussair Mazraoui. Should he still leave, it might indicate United’s plans to bring in Julian Ryerson from Borussia Dortmund. United should not agree to a cut-price sale considering the immense value the African star brings to the table. The Erik ten Hag signing has a market value of £15 million, and the Rossoneri will need to at least match that amount if they are to prise him away from the Theatre of Dreams. Feature image Alex Pantling via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25