The three positions Man Utd 'will look to strengthen' under Jim Ratcliffe this summer

This summer marks a new era in the history of Manchester United as Jim Ratcliffe oversees his first transfer window since completing his partial takeover of the club.

The INEOS chief is determined to push the Red Devils back to the dizzy heights that supporters were once used to under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. 

A key component in that targeted ascension will undoubtedly be recruitment and the 13-time Premier League winners have already made a statement of intent in that regard with their pursuit of Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth, who is currently on gardening leave, ahead of a proposed move to Old Trafford.

United are expected to be very active this summer and it is reported by The Telegraph that the club have set their sights on three key areas of the pitch which are centre forward, centre back and right back. With that in mind we take a look at some of the potential targets that the Red Devils could move for in the summer.

Potential centre back targets

United’s defence has been the subject of immense scrutiny at various periods of the season. While their Premier League record of conceding 36 goals from 26 games is far from ideal - their most worrying statistics came in the Champions League group stage, when they conceded a staggering 15 goals in just six games.

This led to Erik Ten Hag’s side crashing out of Europe entirely at the first hurdle with the joint second worst defensive record in the competition along with Celtic and Red Star Belgrade, with only Royal Antwerp (17) leaking more goals.

One potential target to improve that record could be Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite, according to the Mirror. At 21 and with an impressive loan spell with PSV Eindhoven last term under his belt, the 6ft 5in ball-playing defender has been part of a rear-guard which is only bettered by title-chasing Arsenal for clean sheets this season. Portuguese duo Goncalo Inacio and Antonio Silva , who play for rivals Sporting Lisbon and Benfica respectively, have also been linked.

Potential right back targets

Diogo Dalot has been on United’s more dependable players with 24 league appearances, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka has struggled for minutes since Ten Hag’s arrival.

Joshua Kimmich, who can play both as a midfielder and a right back, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford as he approaches the end of his Bayern Munich contract, which expires in 2025.

Similarly, in-form Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong, formerly of Celtic, is thought to be on the radar, according to Team Talk. The Dutch international has registered an impressive seven goals and six assists from 22 Bundesliga appearances this term.

Potential centre forward targets

Rasmus Hojlund has exploded to life in recent weeks with a glut of goals for United, but there is no doubt the club still need further reinforcements in attack. So far this season, the Red Devils have scored just 36 goals from 26 games, which is the joint lowest of any team in the top half, along with West Ham.

It’s claimed by The Mirror that Ratcliffe wants a forward that is on the same level as Harry Kane. While there are not many of those about, the likes of Victor Oshimen (Napoli) and Ivan Toney (Brentford) have been linked.