Manchester United look set to make Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka their second signing this summer.
Speaking on the Transfer Window podcast, Ian McGarry said, as quoted by the Daily Star.
“We have information that the bid for Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been accepted by Crystal Palace,”
“It will be £55m, there will be no add-ons and Wan-Bissaka himself is keen to make the move to Old Trafford.”
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It finally seems as though there has been a breakthrough in negotiations, which will no doubt delight United fans, who have been growing increasingly frustrated at a lack of transfer activity this summer.
United have so far only signed Daniel James from Swansea City, despite many feeling that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need several incomings to rebuild his squad this summer.
Journalist Duncan Castles has had his say on the Wan-Bissaka deal, claiming that the signing will be a world-record fee for a specialist full-back, again quoted by the Daily Star.
“I was briefed that basically Crystal Palace had called Ed Woodward’s hand on it and said ‘we’re not going to settle for less than £55m for this player’, which is a world-record fee for a specialist full-back, exceeding the money that Manchester City paid first for Kyle Walker and then Benjamin Mendy a couple of years ago.
“There is Lucas Hernandez who’s gone from Atletico to Bayern, who plays full-back for France, but he’s a centre-back for his club and I expect Bayern to use him as a centre-back. He cost 80m euros, so that’s more expensive.
“But if you’re looking at a full-back, the most expensive deal ever for a player who’s 21, has one full season in the Premier League, only made his debut in February 2018.
Castles is uncertain about the England u21 international’s attacking capabilities.
“I think are doubts about how he is as an attacking full-back. Looking at the numbers today, I think there’s the opportunity for him to be a better attacking full-back. I think part of it is playing for Crystal Palace’s limited ability to operate in that way.
“His crossing accuracy’s pretty good. He doesn’t have that many assists. If you put him head-to-head against Alexander-Arnold, they don’t look great. But let’s see what happens when you put him in a more attacking team.
“Although you can have a question mark about how good an attacking team he’s going to be in at Manchester United.”
You have to agree that United have not been a successful attacking side, particularly in the last few months of last campaign. But United first have to address their defensive frailties and Wan-Bissaka is a solid option to stabilise the right-hand side of United’s defence.
