Ruben Amorim may pass on one of his top transfer targets due to a little-known rule.
Manchester United have been barred from signing a key transfer target this summer because to a stringent UEFA rule.
Although the first transfer window of the summer closed on Tuesday evening, several of Europe’s biggest clubs are still negotiating deals ahead of the second window, which opens next week.
As expected, Manchester United is one of the busiest clubs in the market, in desperate need of reinforcements after their poorest Premier League season since the league began in 1992.
So far, the Red Devils have secured a contract for former Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha, but they are still in talks with numerous clubs about other prospective transfers.
However, they will have to wait to pursue one of their top transfer targets since a tough UEFA regulation prevents them from signing him this summer.
After a disappointing season in goal for United, goalkeeper Andre Onana’s position in Ruben Amorim’s squad has been under scrutiny in recent months.
This season, the Cameroonian has only maintained 11 clean sheets in 50 appearances across all competitions, conceding 65 goals.
As a result, speculations suggest that United may consider buying a new goalkeeper this summer, with French publication Sports Zone stating that they are interested in signing OGC Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka.
However, if Bulka is United’s main goal, they will have to wait until the January transfer window due to a UEFA clause that prevents the club from signing players from the French side until September.
This is because, as of February last year, both Manchester United and Nice were owned by Ineos, and rules enacted by the First Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body [CFCB] last summer targeted the multi-club structure.
Although the two clubs were permitted to compete in this season’s Europa League, a UEFA statement stated that the two clubs “will not transfer players to each other, whether permanently or on loan, directly or indirectly, from July 2024 until September 2025, with the exception of pre-existing transfer agreements entered into prior to the opening of the CFCB proceedings.”
Although this does not rule out the possibility of Bulka returning to Old Trafford in the future, it does indicate that it will not happen this summer.
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