Transfer window set to close

Clubs will be unable to sign players until it reopens on Monday 16 June.

WHY IS THE TRANSFER WINDOW DIFFERENT THIS YEAR?

The short pause is a result of the Club World Cup being held in the United States. An exceptional registration period was created to allow the competing sides to register players in advance of the competition, but, so as not to allow them any advantage, all clubs were permitted to make transfers since Sunday 1 June.

You might wonder why the window must close for six days, especially as the Club World Cup does not begin until 15 June. It comes down to Premier League regulations, which say that the summer window must open “at midnight on the date 12 weeks prior to the date on which it is to conclude.” That is Monday 16 June, when the window will reopen to allow United and all other clubs to sign players until it closes, 12 weeks later, on Monday 1 September.

There is another interesting change at that point, with clubs agreeing for the window to close at 19:00 BST, rather than the traditional 23:00 BST. That change has been facilitated to benefit club staff working on transfers, who had previously worked long into the night to complete deals.

WHO HAVE UNITED SIGNED SO FAR?

Many clubs have been active in this initial period of the transfer window, including United.

We announced on Sunday 1 June that an agreement has been reached with Wolverhampton Wanderers for the signing of Matheus Cunha, subject to visa and registration.

The 26-year-old is a Brazil international with a stellar record in the Premier League.

WILL WE MAKE ANY MORE SIGNINGS?

When we spoke to the club’s CEO, Omar Berrada, during our post-season tour of Asia, he said: "I can’t talk about specifics, but I can say we have been planning for many months now. We were ready for all the different scenarios and now know what we need to do. We have a very clear idea where we need to invest in the squad to improve.

"So Jason [Wilcox], his team and Ruben [Amorim] have been in talks, as I said, for many months. Now it's a question of executing that plan and doing it in a way that is prudent but, at the same time, with ambition."

Ruben Amorim has discussed transfers on several occasions throughout the season, outlining the club’s intention to sign more players like 18-year-old Ayden Heaven, who has “showed a lot of quality and character” since arriving.

Questioned whether the club can continue to attract top-level talent despite failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Ruben said “It is Manchester United. What I feel is that there's a lot of players that want to play for our club. I know that if you look at our club in the moment, it looks like, sometimes, with all the problems, with the staff, with people going, changing coach, the results, it looks a little bit of a problem in the moment but we have a clear idea and that is the easiest part to explain to a player. And then it is Manchester United. Everybody wants to play for Manchester United.”

It’s clear that Berrada, Amorim and others are keen for new additions to the squad. We wait to see who might join in the coming weeks.

There will also likely be some additions to the senior set-up from the Academy, with Ruben taking several young Reds on the post-season tour and praising their quality.

"I really like it,” he said, of the young players’ performances, in Hong Kong.

“I think Jimmy [Thwaites], in the last 15 minutes, as a midfielder, he wants to play. It doesn't matter how many minutes. These kind of young kids are really important. They will have space in our team.

"Of course, it's a good feeling [for Chido Obi to score twice] but he needs to continue to train really hard because the Premier League is a different world. We have to improve as a team but I'm really pleased with the kids. Ayden [Heaven] proved, in every game for the first team, he is ready to be an option. Of course, he has got to improve.

"It's important for us to control these kids, to show them to be a professional in Manchester United it's really hard to maintain the level. He is starting and needs to continue."

WILL PLAYERS LEAVE UNITED?

Yes. The departure of three senior players has been confirmed with the recent announcement of our retained list, sent to the Premier League each summer.

Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are among those departing, as their contracts come to an end.

Tom Heaton is also included on the list of free transfers, however the club are in discussions with the goalkeeper about a new deal that would see him remain part of the squad for the 2025/26 season.

You can read more about the retained list here.

KEY SUMMER DATES

Tuesday 10 June: Transfer window closes
Monday 16 June: Transfer window reopens
Wednesday 18 June: Premier League fixtures announced
Saturday 19 July: United’s first pre-season game, against Leeds in Stockholm
Sunday 27 July: United v West Ham (New Jersey)
Thursday 31 July: United v Bournemouth (Chicago)
Sunday 3 August: United v Everton (Atlanta)
Saturday 9 August: United v Fiorentina (Old Trafford — get your tickets here)
Saturday 16 August: Premier League season starts
Monday 1 September: Transfer window closes