Branthwaite signs, Benfica deal and £94m exodus – Man United's four biggest summer transfer jobs

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be expected to put his money where his mouth is this summer. After acquiring a stake in Manchester United back in December, the British billionaire vowed to take the club back to the 'the very top of English, European and world football'.

He's made a good start by revamping the boardroom and trimming down the wage bill, releasing players whose contracts at Old Trafford have expired – like Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial and Brandon Williams. But, now, it's time for Ratcliffe to step up to the plate and spearhead a transfer window like no other.

While the Red Devils secured Europa League qualification via the FA Cup, they finished eighth in the Premier League table and eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth. Meanwhile, Manchester City clinched a fourth successive English top flight title.

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After such a gulf in class, United have a lot to do in the next couple of weeks. So, with that being said, the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at four things Ratcliffe must do this summer to steer the club – at least – back into the Premier League top-four.

Put a new contract on the table...

First and foremost, Ratcliffe must extinguish any unnecessary speculation and offer Erik ten Hag a new contract. Regardless of whether United won the FA Cup final or not, Erik ten Hag deserved the chance to oversee a third campaign.

In his debut season, he led United to third place in the Premier League which, upon reflection, was a great achievement. While the Dutchman struggled to implement an attractive brand of football, which supporters so desperately crave, he managed to get points on the board.

Then, in the summer transfer window, he was backed – and quite considerably too, with his expenditure tallying almost half a billion pounds. Now, obviously, that's quite a big issue because a few of the players that Manchester United signed haven't been great – such as Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount.

While Ten Hag would've had some input on recruitment, the Reds should have never been in a position where they resorted to signing somebody like Jonny Evans. Aside from the club's questionable spending choices, they have been riddled with injuries which must be taken into account too, irrespective of whether you're 'Ten Hag in' or 'Ten Hag out'.

If United can also get their hands on a sporting director, as well as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake, then they'll certainly be in good stead. Ultimately, the club needs some stability.

Overhaul the starting lineup...

Next, United need to overhaul the starting lineup with quality. Ideally, Ratcliffe drafts in at least one centre-back, a holding midfielder, a versatile winger and a striker.

Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are good backup options at the heart of the defence but, if the Red Devils truly want to progress, then they'll need to find Lisandro Martinez a top partner. Jarrad Branthwaite has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, while Matthijs de Ligt has been mooted as a potential target.

In the middle of the park, United need somebody to complement Kobbie Mainoo. Joao Neves has been name-checked by large sections of the fanbase this summer, so perhaps that's a role for him?

As for the Red Devils' frontline, Ten Hag will need to sign a new winger to replace Antony and a frontman to deputise Rasmus Hojlund. Nico Williams would be an excellent option on the right – as would have been Michael Olise, but he looks set to join Bayern Munich.

Ruthless decision making...

Sooner or later, United will need to be ruthless and decide whether or not some big names still have futures at Old Trafford. Scott McTominay (27), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (26), Harry Maguire (31), Amad Diallo (21), Victor Lindelöf (29) and Christian Eriksen (32) all see their contracts at Old Trafford in June 2025.

So, essentially, in the next few weeks, Ratcliffe and Ten Hag must decide whether or not the six aforementioned players, who are valued at a combined €111m (£94.1m) by Transfermarkt – have futures at the club. If not, United need to be ruthless and cash in while they still can.

Find the next Mainoo...

While Ten Hag divided opinion last season, supporters united as Kobbie Mainoo established himself in the first-team. The Dutchman needs to blood another academy graduate into the first-team – there's lots of quality in the United youth setup waiting to be unleashed.