Manchester United needs 51 million to sign Arsenal's left-back! Sir Jim Ratcliffe gives up, Luke Shaw misses World Cup, no purchase planned.

This week, Manchester United unexpectedly has been connected to Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, with talk that the club is contemplating acquiring him. It is reported that the Red Devils aim to rejuvenate the left-back spot, and this season Lewis-Skelly has been overlooked in Arsenal's senior squad, wanting to move on.

On Sunday, Arsenal lost 0-2 to Manchester City, missing out on the League Cup; in the final, Lewis-Skelly was only a substitute and did not get any playing time, reflecting his current situation. Mikel Arteta trusts Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori more than the 19-year-old Lewis-Skelly. Due to scarce playing opportunities, Lewis-Skelly, who previously featured most under Thomas Tuchel, has also lost his national team status.

It is claimed that Lewis-Skelly hopes to transfer away from Arsenal in the summer window, with clubs like Everton and Brentford interested in him. However, Arsenal is expected to demand at least £51 million to let this England international leave. For Manchester United, this is an excessive price that owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not consider.

Manchester United's left-back position also needs adjustment, as Luke Shaw is already 30 and lacks an ideal backup. In some matches, Erik ten Hag even had to deploy Tyrell Malacia, who is confirmed to leave in the summer.

Currently injured Danish international Patrick Doku is viewed by Manchester United as a left winger rather than a left-back, so the club's leadership is considering bringing in a competitor for Luke Shaw. However, a high-cost option like Lewis-Skelly is not in the summer window plans.

This summer window, Manchester United's main target is to recruit new midfielders, which could involve huge transfer fees; target players like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, Elliot Anderson, and Carlos Baleba are all priced at £80 million or even £100 million.

Of course, one advantage of Lewis-Skelly is that he can also play in midfield; if Manchester United signs him, it would add a rotation option to the midfield. Thus, United's recruitment team is indeed actively monitoring Lewis-Skelly, but the club is also observing more experienced left-back players, such as Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell and Fulham's Antonee Robinson.

Additionally, Manchester United's rumored list extends across Europe. RB Leipzig's David Raum is also on the rumored list; this 27-year-old German international has played 30 times this season, directly contributing to 11 goals.

Manchester United's rumored left-back candidate list could include more names, such as Sporting CP's Maxi Araújo. This Uruguayan international has a €80 million release clause, contributing 6 goals and 4 assists this season, but no club would sign him at such a high price.

In Spain, Barcelona's Alejandro Balde is also linked with Manchester United; reportedly Barcelona hopes to sell him for €90 million, but this also falls into the "storytelling" category.

As mentioned above, Manchester United's summer window focuses on midfield renovation; recruitment for other positions depends on budget. Moreover, Luke Shaw is likely to miss the World Cup; he is the only player who started all 31 Premier League matches for United this season. If he can rest this summer, his fitness will remain assured next season.

Not only that, next season is the final year of Luke Shaw's contract; famously, "England's Roberto Carlos" is one of United's renowned contract-year performers, often delivering astonishing performances. With right-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot able to cover the left side, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's likelihood of buying a new left-back at high cost this summer is low.