Man Utd make the next Rooney their top target

£80m plus would once be enough to land a Ballon d’Or-winning Cristiano Ronaldo, or a peak Gareth Bale – now it’s the fee needed to sign reported Manchester United target, Mateus Fernandes.

Of course, inflation is the key word there, yet even so, the manner in which the market has been distorted of late truly is remarkable, with United perhaps wise not to have got involved in a bidding war for the Portuguese youngster.

Instead, Fernandes is set to join Roberto De Zerbi’s new-look Tottenham Hotspur side, the fifth arrival already in north London following last season’s relegation scare.

Back at Old Trafford, Michael Carrick’s men are on far more stable footing after a respectable third-place finish, with it no time to panic just yet. Indeed, there’s plenty more fish in the sea.

£130m World Cup star emerges as top Man Utd target

£116m proved too costly regarding Elliot Anderson, while INEOS were not willing to fork out that bumper fee for Fernandes, having not received assurances from either player that they actually wanted to move to Old Trafford.

It remains to be seen whether United will actually go big or not this summer, with Paul Pogba’s club-record £89m capture still yet to be eclipsed despite the raft of spending over the last decade or so.

One area that might require reinforcement is on the left flank, albeit with much set to depend on whether or not Marcus Rashford stays put in Manchester beyond the end of the window.

As revealed by Sky Sports, if Rashford is to depart, United could look to invest in a marquee replacement, with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers said to be a ‘top target’.

The England international previously worked under Carrick at Middlesbrough, hailing the Geordie as a “great manager” who played a key role in the 23-year-old’s development.

A reunion could be on the cards, although Villa aren’t willing sellers, with additional claims suggesting that he could fetch as much as £130m this summer.

Why Rogers would be worth the investment for Man Utd

£130m for another relative youngster appears an eye-watering fee, but if the Red Devils can negotiate that down somewhat, it would be an astute move to bring Rogers to Old Trafford.

Not only does he have the benefit of having worked under Carrick previously, but the Halesowen-born forward is simply such an exciting, versatile talent, one who can slot in off the left or in a central role so comfortably.

Plucked from the Championship in January 2024, Rogers has almost taken on talismanic status at Villa Park since then, already up to 60 goals and assists in 125 games for the club to date.

His latest contribution came in Villa’s Europa League final win over Freiburg, a crowning moment for Unai Emery’s side after such consistent progress in recent years.

Rogers, once on Manchester City’s books, is now part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, with there having been a real pre-tournament debate over whether he should start ahead of Jude Bellingham in that number ten berth.

Bellingham, evidently, has won that battle, but to be in the conversation speaks to just what a talent Rogers is, particularly with the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White all left watching on at home.

What Tuchel clearly appreciates about the Villa man’s game is just what a powerhouse presence he is, having previously been hailed as being “like a [Wayne] Rooney when he was young” by Glenn Hoddle.

Much like ‘Wazza’, there’s that relentlessness and physicality to his game that is to be admired, able to power his way up the pitch so effectively.

Like a young Rooney too, Rogers does boast the end product to match, as United learned themselves back in December as he scored twice in Villa’s 2-1 win over Ruben Amorim and co.

On two occasions, the £130m-rated ace cut in from the left flank to curl into the far corner, handing young Leny Yoro a torrid evening as he stole the show for the hosts.

His total tally of 26 goals and assists in all competitions last season was actually only bettered by Bruno Fernandes (31) back at Old Trafford, highlighting just what a coup it would be to bring him into the fold this summer.

What is particularly impressive about his game is the manner in which he constantly looks to make that killer pass or key attacking intervention, notably ranking in the top 14% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes made per 90.

United has often worshipped players who seek to take risks in pursuit of creating openings, with figures like Rooney and Fernandes always looking for a way to hurt the opposition, be it with a driving run or a cutting, defensive-splitting pass.

Rogers, while still only 23, is cut from a similar cloth, with this potentially the deal that INEOS need to greenlight to truly enter the market with a bang.