Manchester United's dream summer with nine sales

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Less than a week after opening, the summer transfer window will temporarily close again as soon as Tuesday evening.

As a result of the new Club World Cup format, the window opened earlier than usual to allow clubs participating in the tournament an exceptional registration period. The temporary closure, however, will last less than a week, with the window reopening on Monday, June 16.

However, it does mean there will be a brief pause in transfer activity. For Manchester United, it means time is running out to get any more business done before the temporary halt in proceedings.

United have come flying out of the traps at the start of this window, securing the services of Matheus Cunha from Wolves last Sunday, before setting their sights on Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo.

United had an opening offer of £45million with a further £10m in add-ons knocked back in midweek after it fell short of Brentford's valuation. It is understood talks remain ongoing and a fresh offer is expected.

On the presumption United get a deal over the line for Mbeumo, focus must then shift to outgoings. Mbeumo is likely to cost the Reds somewhere in the region of £60m, meaning their summer spending will smash through the £120m barrier after just two signings, with Cunha setting United back by £62.5m.

United still need to strengthen a handful of other areas within their squad this summer, including in goal, in midfield and up front. A striker has to be the main priority.

Regardless of what happens in terms of incomings, United always planned to be active in the seller's market - and that stance has not changed. They want to offload Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony as priorities, while fellow wide man Alejandro Garnacho has also been told he can move on at the right price.

United are understood to have valued at Rashford at £40m and they want around £32.5m for Antony, whose stock has risen in recent months thanks to his productive loan spell at Real Betis.

(Image: Domenico Cippitelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images.)

United must find an alternative avenue in their quest to offload Sancho after Chelsea backed out of the obligation to sign the winger in a £25m deal. Chelsea paid a £5m penalty fee to break that agreement, but it means United now have the challenge of trying to find an alternative buyer.

Sancho's wages are expected to be the biggest stumbling block in United's attempt to shift him, but they will still be keen to bank a fee in the region of the £25m Chelsea were originally expected to pay. If United are successful in their efforts to offload him, Rashford and Antony for the valuations they have set, they could secure almost £100m, which would be an excellent return for three players they have no plans to keep.

United turned down a £40m bid for Garnacho from Napoli in January and will understandably want a higher fee this summer. Somewhere between £50m and £60m feels like a fair market value for the talented Argentine.

If United can secure a fee within that region, they could find themselves securing a windfall in the region of £150m from just four sales. It is not as easy as simply ploughing the money straight back into the squad, with other operational costs and the £89m owed in transfer fees from previous windows to be considered, but it will give them a helping hand in their quest to recruit players for other positions in need of attention.

As well as wanting to offload Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho and Antony, other departures are expected from Old Trafford. Tyrell Malacia is expected to leave permanently after three seasons at the club, Rasmus Hojlund is the subject of interest from Inter Milan and Casemiro is not assured of his future after United failed to qualify for Europe.

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could also be sold amid Ruben Amorim's eagerness to recruit a new goalkeeper, while Luke Shaw is another player United should be looking to try and offload, though his injury record may put suitors off.

The transfer market is one of the most unpredictable elements in football, meaning not everything United hope to achieve between now and the start of September will come to fruition. However, their intentions cannot be criticised.

If they successfully offload the nine aforementioned players, particularly the star-studded names on the list, it will give them the best possible chance of making the additions they want.

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