How Romelu Lukaku’s conclusion could hurt Man United’s transfer plans
The transfer window is always a dominoes game in which one decision has multiple repercussions for multiple organizations.
A major decision made by one of Manchester United‘s former players could soon have a significant impact on the club.
Romelu Lukaku has reportedly made Inter Milan “furious” with his decision to discuss a prospective transfer with rivals Juventus. As a consequence, his transfer to the Nerazzurri has been canceled.
What is the effect on United? If the club is not proactive and quickens its business, in a significant fashion.
United are in negotiations with Inter for Andre Onana, who is Erik ten Hag’s top target to replace David de Gea. This is common knowledge.
Inter are also willing vendors, primarily because they saw this as an opportunity to reinvest the profit from Onana’s sale in a cheaper, younger goalkeeper and a marquee striker.
This is where Lukaku enters the equation.
After a nightmare tenure at Chelsea, the Belgian’s return to Inter on loan last season revitalized his career.
After burning bridges at Chelsea, he was effusive in his praise for the Serie A club, and it appeared that he would eventually settle on a club.
Inter had made Lukaku their top priority and was in negotiations with Chelsea to acquire him on a permanent basis.
Inter’s posture on Onana may harden to United’s detriment if this deal falls through due to the striker’s decision to negotiate with Juventus.
The Cameroonian was rumored to be on his way to Old Trafford for a fee in the vicinity of £48 million, an expensive sum but a decent deal for a goalkeeper who is arguably among the top five in the world right now.
Now that Lukaku is off the market, Inter’s immediate need for funds has diminished. They will likely still acquire a new forward, but they may conduct due diligence on potential targets before finalizing the Onana deal.
In the worst-case scenario for Ten Hag, Inter may opt for a more expensive alternative than Lukaku.
Italian clubs have struggled for some time to remain financially competitive, and they typically sell players to fund their transfers. United are effectively funding Inter’s procurement of new goalkeepers and a forward from this perspective.
In this circumstance, a sudden increase in Inter’s demands for Onana is not inconceivable.
The manager desires Onana prior to the team’s departure for the preseason tour of the United States. Recent reports have indicated that the Cameroonian agreement is too far along to be affected by anything, but a delay is still possible.
In conclusion, a former United player could still harm the club four years after departing, and the club will have no one but themselves to blame, as they have delayed the Onana transaction for far too long.
How Romelu Lukaku’s conclusion could hurt Man United’s transfer plans