Napoli has had constructive discussions with Alejandro Garnacho’s representatives, but Manchester United has placed a hefty price tag on him, making his move unlikely for now, despite the funds generated from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s sale, according to Alfredo Pedullà.
The Argentine is open to a transfer, but Manchester United has several other matters to address.
Marcus Rashford will soon make his decision, and Joshua Zirkzee’s future remains uncertain due to his limited role under Ruben Amorim. The club may not want to lose too many attackers in the same window.
Napoli began with a €45M bid for Garnacho, but it fell short of United’s demand of at least £60M. The Italian club is hesitant to use nearly all the funds from Kvaratskhelia’s departure on one player.
Garnacho is the only player directly recommended by Antonio Conte as a replacement for Kvaratskhelia, and Napoli will continue to pursue him as long as there’s any chance of securing the deal.
Juventus has made serious inquiries about him, but they are looking at a summer move. Manchester United may prefer to delay the transfer until after resolving their other priorities.
Fabrizio Romano gives Randal Kolo Muani transfer update
Manchester United had been strongly linked with PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani, who was expected to leave Paris in January. A six-month loan deal, likely with an option to buy, seemed like a perfect move for United to strengthen their struggling attack.
It was even reported that United would do everything in their power to secure Kolo Muani’s signing. However, that’s no longer the case.
Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed Kolo Muani’s loan move to Juventus for six months, without any buy option, whether permanent or optional.
Romano added that the French striker has accepted the offer and will undergo medical tests in Turin this week as Juventus bolsters their attacking squad.
This deal removes one forward from the market for United, while also concluding another transfer saga, this time involving an outgoing player.
Juventus’s Randal Kolo Muani signing gives Joshua Zirkzee clarity
The impact of Kolo Muani’s transfer will likely ripple through the market, as he was also linked to Tottenham and had an influence on Joshua Zirkzee’s future.
Zirkzee’s future at United had been uncertain until recently, with Amorim acknowledging that some movement could occur.
Juventus had been the most reliable club linked with Zirkzee, and a move there made sense for all involved. Zirkzee could reunite with Thiago Motta, Juventus would get a player they had pursued in the summer, and United could cut their losses on a player who hadn’t made much of an impact.
However, Zirkzee seems to have turned things around and can now focus on succeeding at United, especially with Juventus now signing a striker.
Given that no other clubs had been linked to Zirkzee, it seems unlikely he will move this January, particularly after Kolo Muani’s transfer to Juventus.
While a surprise move can never be entirely ruled out, it appears that Romano’s statement has resolved two transfer sagas at United—one incoming and one outgoing.
