Man Utd transfer news: 'Barcelona contact made' as plan to sell two players gets approval

View 4 Images

Manchester United will be looking to have another say in the Premier League title race when they visit leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Red Devils fans are still basking in the glory of Saturday's derby victory, which dealt a major blow to Manchester City's title hopes.

It was a dream start for new interim boss Michael Carrick, who has been handed the reins until the end of the season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim. Carrick is not expected to oversee many, if any, transfers this month as he insists the group is good enough to finish in the Champions League places.

However, work is going on behind the scenes regarding summer transfers, both signings and departures, given the need to freshen up the squad ahead of next season. Here's a round of the latest transfer news and views…

United may have to move quickly after being credited with an interest in Barcelona and Spain midfielder Marc Casado.

The 22-year-old is said to be frustrated at his lack of game time under Barca boss Hansi Flick and could be on the move as early as this month, with Atletico Madrid leading the chase as they look to find a replacement for Conor Gallagher following his departure to Tottenham .

The Red Devils, along with Wolves , are also keen on Casado, reports Mundo Deportivo . Premier League clubs could have an advantage, as it is believed Casado would rather move abroad if he leaves Barcelona.

However, that could hinge on whether those clubs are willing to move this month rather than wait until summer, by which time United's managerial situation will be clearer.

View 4 Images

United have been urged to offload Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw as they are symbols of the club's recent failings. That's according to former Old Trafford defender Paul Parker, who has launched a scathing attack on the long-serving defenders.

Parker, who played for United in the first half of the 1990s, says Maguire and Shaw, who cost the club a combined £110million, believes they should be let go as soon as possible. The former England defender told MyBettingSites.co.uk: "I think Maguire and Shaw are a symbol of what has gone wrong at Man United.

"I can't get my head around people thinking they are the solution. Both of them should have been offloaded a long time ago, but they are still here collecting their paychecks.

View 4 Images

"The fact that they are still here is a joke. Are they the worst players in the team? No, but they have been here for so long, taking up space in the squad and performing below what you expect from a Manchester United player.

"Has it been impossible to get rid of them? It is definitely a possibility that they just like being part of Manchester United and earning a lot of money, but that tells me a lot about their ambitions.

"If they had real ambition, they would move on to a club where they could make a difference. They can play at Manchester United, but they can't make a difference."

View 4 Images

Maguire, whose contract expires this summer, has reportedly been the subject of interest from Inter Milan this month . For now, he appears to be in Carrick's plans, having played in the win over City, but Parker added: "None of them are getting better. At their age, they have to realise that it is time to move on.

"Can they do a good job under Carrick? Maybe, if he changes the playing style drastically, and he might have to if he wants to keep his job. But the way Manchester United should be going forward, being attack-minded, just doesn't suit them.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.