Man Utd On Alert As Club’s £100M Financial Black Hole Increases Chances Of Double Transfer Raid

BACK David Tully May 19th 2026 Man Utd could take advantage of West Ham’s financial problems to secure the signature of two targets this summer, according to reports. The Guardian claim that the Hammers’ likely relegation from the Premier League means they will need to “raise more than £100m through player sales” if they are to avoid issues with Financial Fair Play. A significant number of the first-team squad are expected to leave the London Stadium if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side do lose their top-flight status. The two players on the Red Devils’ radar are Mateus Fernandes and El-Hadji Malick Diouf. Fernandes has plenty of suitors The Portuguese international has had an impressive season, despite his club’s struggles, and he won’t be short of offers this summer. It is believed that United, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain would be the frontrunners for Fernandes. West Ham’s asking price for the 21-year-old was said to be as high as £80m, but that figure may drop due to the club’s financial situation. Man Utd want Diouf to compete with Shaw Recruiting a new left-back is one of the club’s top priorities for the summer transfer window. Tyrell Malacia (who has barely played this season) will leave on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of next month. A replacement will be required, especially as Michael Carrick‘s side will be playing substantially more matches next season after sealing Champions League qualification. Shaw’s fitness has been surprisingly good over the last nine months, but his body is unlikely to stand up to playing every few days. In that context, the interest in a player like Diouf is understandable. The Senegalese international is the same age as current teammate Fernandes, and many believe he has a very bright future ahead of him. Want more news on Man Utd? Add Man U News as a preferred source on Google David Tully David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.