Real Madrid and Martin Zubimendi? Man Utd’s financial strength for summer transfers? – Ask Ornstein

Today, we ran the latest edition of our subscriber-exclusive Ask Ornstein Q&A.

Once a week for an hour, The Athletic’s subscribers can ask me for my views on anything from the football world. I have pulled together some of my favourite questions and my answers are below.

Got a question? Join us again next Thursday.

Blair M. asked: “Any information about Real Madrid’s rumoured interest in Martin Zubimendi?”

David Ornstein: Without wanting to discredit the reporting of others, Blair, I personally haven’t heard this.

Arsenal are expecting Zubimendi to join them from Real Sociedad in the summer. I don’t know if that means it is completely done, but for some time now they have been working on the basis that he’ll be coming in. A huge amount of work went into getting them to that point — while Edu was still sporting director and subsequently when Jason Ayto took over that job on an interim basis.

Andrea Berta will be starting soon as Edu’s permanent successor, so we will hopefully learn a bit more on this one, and other areas, in due course.

Ahsan A. asked: “Do you believe Manchester United have the financial strength to spend over £50million ($65m) on individual signings this summer and purchase the likes of Viktor Gyokeres/Victor Osimhen? Or will they stick to finding cheaper options, such as Ayden Heaven, Sekou Kone, Chido Obi, Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu?”

Ornstein: While United will be formulating plans, Ahsan, their budgets will be heavily influenced by factors such as European qualification and player exits.

We expect them to have room to manoeuvre in the market, but there will definitely be some caution when it comes to splashing big money on big names, as we’ve seen in the past. That’s not to say they won’t be able to do it, more that we’re hearing their preference will be to continue what has been their approach more recently; younger talents costing lower transfer fees and salaries, who fit Ruben Amorim’s system/style and can develop into top players with increased market value.

So I’d imagine there will be further recruits along the lines you mention rather than going for the likes of Gyokeres and Osimhen.

Please don’t hold me to that because you never know in this unpredictable industry, but that is the direction of travel being explained to us.

Tom R. asked: “Alexander Isak is being linked with every man and his dog. How many clubs can actually afford what Newcastle are likely looking to demand for him? The wages associated with many players — fancifully mooted — as potential part-exchange chips are likely to have wages that would immediately eat into Newcastle’s PSR allowance.”

Ornstein: The first thing to say, Tom, is I don’t know of Newcastle wanting to get involved in any part-exchange situations. That may be a tactic used by other clubs to try tempting them into parting with someone like Isak, but I doubt it will appeal to the St James’ Park hierarchy at all.

In terms of Isak, Newcastle have no desire to sell — he’ll still have three years left on his contract come the summer and don’t forget they’ve invested heavily in him (the transfer fee and his salary), so it would take something astronomical to prise him away. History tells us every player has a price and if somebody offers what is considered market value, or even higher, perhaps Newcastle will have something to think about.

We know Isak has suitors, including Arsenal and Liverpool, but I’m not aware of any club-to-club approaches or conversations at this point. Obviously, that probably will change, but Newcastle are under no abnormal pressure to sell and there have so far been no signs of the player agitating to leave.

Unfortunately for Newcastle fans (because they understandably hate all this chat), I do anticipate it being one of the biggest talking points heading into and during the next market, because Isak is the top target for several clubs, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be playing for Newcastle next season, especially if they are back in the Champions League.

James P. asked: “With the summer transfer window now opening before the Club World Cup starts in June, will Chelsea be looking to bring in players before that tournament, and what positions/names are we likely to see prioritised?”

Ornstein: From what we hear, James, they’ve been working really hard behind the scenes to secure deals ahead of the market opening.

You’ve seen Mamadou Sarr (the centre-back from Strasbourg), Dario Essugo and Geovany Quenda, while I’d expect a starting winger to arrive in light of the Mykhailo Mudryk uncertainty. Maybe also a younger one for the future. The No 9 position remains high on the agenda, too, and while we’ve all seen — and discussed on here — options such as Liam Delap and Benjamin Sesko, it isn’t clear yet who they’ll go for.

Peter K. asked: “How many players could Manchester United realistically look to offload this summer and who are the most likely candidates to go?”

Ornstein: It’s impossible to put numbers on these things, Peter, but the candidates are obvious.

Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, Tom Heaton and Victor Lindelof are on course to be out of contract this summer, so you’d expect some or all of them to leave. Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are currently out on loan, so are clearly players United are prepared to part with, too.

Another example is Casemiro, and then we need to keep an eye on the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, who The Athletic has reported on previously. They are players I don’t think United actively want out, but if suitable offers arrive and the club decide to entertain them from a football and financial perspective, there could be movement there.

Inevitably, some younger guys will move on as well. So, a busy summer ahead at Old Trafford!

Eriksen’s United contract expires this summer (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Daniel D. asked: “Anything at all on Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah?”

Mass asked: “Does Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving increase the chances of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah being offered higher wages closer to their demands and extending with Liverpool? Was the club waiting until Alexander-Arnold made his decision to make final offers for Salah/Van Dijk?”

Ornstein: Daniel, as mentioned in previous weeks and months, Liverpool are optimistic both will renew their contracts and that it is just a matter of time. Until it is done, we can’t say for certain and it would appear there is still work to do… but there has been nothing so far to suggest Liverpool’s confidence has changed on these two.

Mass, my assumption is that Liverpool will have had a certain amount of clarity on the Alexander-Arnold situation for some time, certainly compared to us on the outside, and therefore, I’m not sure it would have much/any bearing on the Salah and Van Dijk budgets.

Each case has probably been dealt with in its own right and on merit, with much deeper thinking than just shifting money around. While I get your point, Mass, I don’t think a salary saving on Alexander-Arnold will suddenly see more money allocated to Salah and Van Dijk; it surely doesn’t work like that, and personally I’d find it a bit strange if they found out about Alexander-Arnold and then suddenly went to the other two and offered them a load more than had previously been on the table.

I suspect the club and the players will be making their decisions irrespective of the potential Alexander-Arnold saving.

Rob W. asked: “Hi David, is there any update on the future of Liam Delap?”

Ornstein: Nothing concrete, Rob, because there is a lot still to be decided. For example, will suitors such as Chelsea and Manchester United be playing European football next season and if so, in which competition? I definitely see Delap getting a big move, though, regardless of whether his current club Ipswich retain their Premier League status.

Manhattan G. asked: “When are the Manchester City judgments expected?”

Ornstein: People have been saying things like ‘imminent’, ‘this week’, and ‘tomorrow’ for ages now, and that shows most of us simply don’t know — probably only a small number involved in the process do.

As I and others have reported previously, the expectation at City has been ‘spring’ and if that’s the case, we’re into that season now. However, it would also mean we might be waiting until late June! Plus, as long as we don’t have anything firm from the Premier League, City or other parties privy to the matter, it’s largely speculation and perhaps subject to change.

Another thing we don’t know is the nature of the announcement when it comes. So, will the verdict be as black and white as many are anticipating? Could it be an anti-climax? How much detail will there be to sift through? What are the next steps? Will there be appeals, and if the answer to that is yes, how long could they take?

You suspect this process is nowhere near finished yet.

Semper F. asked: “I wanted to ask if Joan Garcia is someone Arsenal are interested in for the summer given we will be looking at a new goalkeeper soon?”

Ornstein: Yes, Arsenal have done a lot of work on Espanyol’s Garcia because manager Mikel Arteta wants him as No 2 to David Raya. From what we hear, Garcia would be open to the move. But I don’t know of anything being closed, and until that happens… it’s still open!

Arteta wants Garcia as Arsenal’s backup goalkeeper (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

James S. asked: “Is there any news on who Liverpool will replace Trent Alexander-Arnold with? Or are they looking to spend elsewhere and for Conor Bradley to step up to be a starter with Jarrel Quansah and Joe Gomez deputising?”

Ornstein: Right now, I think left-back is a bigger priority for Liverpool than right-back given not only the options you mention but also the market possibilities.

I’m not saying if Alexander-Arnold leaves they definitely won’t replace him this summer, I just don’t know of it being top of the to-do list right now. You imagine one of Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas will have to leave for recruitment to happen at left-back, but the heavy links to Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth indicate that is an area of greater focus than right-back for the time being.

Anonymous U. asked: “Could you update on Chelsea and Dean Huijsen, Tijjani Reijnders, left-winger and striker? Thank you.”

Ornstein: Chelsea like Huijsen a lot. So do plenty of other clubs!

I think his dream would be Real Madrid, but that doesn’t mean they’ll do the deal. It’s a £50million release clause to get him out of Bournemouth this summer, so that shouldn’t be an issue for any of his suitors. Some may look to pay a bit more in order to stagger the payments, but ultimately, it will be up to the player.

Antoine Semenyo has a lot of interest, too, but there’s no clause there so that will need to be a club-record sale in excess of the £65million Spurs paid them for Dominic Solanke last summer.

If those two go, it’s not guaranteed Kerkez will follow. If one of them stays (presumably Semenyo), Kerkez probably goes.

Sorry to turn that into a Bournemouth update, but you jogged my memory!

(Top photo: Martin Zubimendi; by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)