Man Utd 'identify' first Jim Ratcliffe signing but will need favour from Man City owners

Sir Jim Ratcliffe could require a favour from the Manchester City owners to help land one of Manchester United’s first summer signings. Ratcliffe and his army of recently appointed executives are expected to oversee a busy transfer window at Old Trafford, with the INEOS chief having already started implementing plans.

With Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox already through the Old Trafford door, and negotiations for Dan Ashworth in full swing, Ratcliffe’s off-field vision is taking shape. But with less than one month of the current campaign left, attention has already switched to potential player incomings.

One name attracting attention from the 20-time English champions is Girona ace Miguel Gutierrez. The 22-year-old has shone for the La Liga outfit this season, with Girona on the brink of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Ironically, prospective employers United aren’t expected to be involved in the Champions League, but that hasn’t stopped transfer speculation from growing. As per GIVEMESPORT, Gutierrez is a player of interest for United, with a move to the Premier League giant being mooted. However, Ratcliffe and co. could face one major problem - Girona’s owners.

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Girona are part of the City Football Group - a network of clubs across the world all owned by the Manchester City hierarchy. As a result, for United to land Gutierrez, they might need to land a favour from the City owners, who will likely have to sanction the deal. While the CFG only boast a 47 per cent stake in the Spanish side, it may prove significant enough for them to lobby a sale involving one of Girona’s best talents to City’s Premier League rivals.

It comes amid what’s expected to be a summer shake-up for United, specifically in defensive areas. The Red Devils could be dealt a transfer boost before the window even opens, with reported target Tosin Adarabioyo likely to become a free agent this summer. As per Fabrizio Romano, the ex-Manchester City man - who has been linked to Old Trafford in the past - has rejected contract offers from Fulham and will instead leave the club for nothing in June.

Elsewhere, Victor Lindelof is being tipped for a move away from Old Trafford, with Turkish side Galatasaray said to be interested. That’s according to Aspor, who claim Lindelof could be on the move this summer, with United expected to demand a fee in the region of £15-20million for the Swede's signature.