Man United ‘close agreement’ for Real Madrid star as Ten Hag guarantees him ‘untouchable’ status

Man United ‘close agreement’ for Real Madrid star as Ten Hag guarantees him ‘untouchable’ status

Man Utd have promised Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin that he will be number one at Old Trafford if he joins in the summer, according to reports.

The Red Devils are set to make big changes over the summer after Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed a deal to buy 27.7 per cent of the Premier League club earlier this year.

Ratcliffe and INEOS have been given control of the football department as part of the agreement and they intend to make changes to the recruitment team and infrastructure around the club.

Omar Berrada, who will join in the summer as the club’s new CEO and technical director Jason Wilcox have already been brought in ahead of the summer.

And there is expected to be quite a turnover of players in the summer with INEOS looking to raise funds for incomings by selling on some players who are surplus to requirements.

One report even claimed that they are willing to listen to offers for any player in Erik ten Hag’s squad, apart from Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

Although Ten Hag has laughed off the reports in his pre-match press conference on Friday, he said: “It’s a joke. As long as I’ve worked, every summer, every window, 200 players getting interest from Manchester United.

“We did some research and also every summer we sell all of the players in our squad, which you make all of the headlines and that takes responsibility how you make such a headline. Find a good source if there is some truth in it…”

Despite making a mistake in their recent 4-2 victory over Sheffield United, Andre Onana has improved as the season has gone on for Man Utd with his worst form coming in the Champions League.

There have been reports earlier in the season that the Red Devils were already looking for a replacement and Real Madrid’s Lunin was one of the goalkeepers linked.

And now Spanish publication Nacional insists that Man Utd ‘already have a closed agreement’ with the Ukraine international, who is a ‘priority target’ for the summer.

There have been widespread reports that Lunin is on the verge of signing a new deal at Real Madrid after some impressive performances in the absence of Thibaut Courtois – but Nacional insists Florentino Perez’s ‘attempts have been fruitless’ so far.

The report adds that if Real Madrid ‘do not reach an agreement for him to sign a new contract, they will be forced to sell him this summer, if they do not want to see him pack his bags in 12 months.’

And now Man Utd ‘are the big favorites to welcome the Ukrainian international into their ranks’ and now Ten Hag – who looks set to remain at Old Trafford despite rumours he could face the sack – ‘guarantees’ Lunin ‘that he will be untouchable’.

It is understood that Lunin ‘seems to have decided that he will leave Madrid, because they cannot promise him what he asks for, which is to be a regular starter’.