Man Utd Transfer News: Moyes Plotting Barcelona Raid

The January transfer window may have slammed shut but clubs will still be working hard behind the scenes at identifying targets for the summer, so we’ll bring you all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, Man Utd are linked with a Barcelona youngster.

Manchester United manager David Moyes is eyeing a move for Barcelona midfielder Rafa Alcantara as he plans to rejuvenate his flagging squad this summer, according to the Mirror.

The 21-year-old has been with Barcelona since 2006 and has risen through the clubs renowned La Masia Youth Academy before breaking into the B team set up in 2011. He scored 20 goals in 84 games before joining Celta Vigo on loan last summer.

Alcantara – known more commonly as Rafinha – has impressed at the Balaídos Arena this season and has been tipped to return to the Nou Camp in the summer and push for a place in the first team squad.

However, it seems United could try and lure the promising attacking midfielder to the Premier League instead, with the Mirror claiming that Moyes is having the youngster monitored closely ahead of a potential move at the end of the season.

Rafinha is the younger brother of Thiago Alcantara, who United tried to sign last summer before he opted for a switch to Bayern Munich, so the champions will be hoping they have better luck this time around.

United have endured a torrid season and are in a real fight to even finish for in the top four, so a summer overhaul is likely to be on the cards. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward admitted last week that the club are in for a busy summer of transfer activity:

“It’s fair to say we are focused on strengthening the squad. We aren’t afraid of moving in the market in a way we perhaps haven’t seen in recent years.

“We’ve had roughly three sales and three purchases each year, and it’s possible we would do more than that.” Woodward is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

There’s little doubt United need to make several additions in the summer and Rafinha would be an exciting addition who would add some real flair to their attacking options. I’m not sure he’s completely ready to command a first team place just yet, but he’s certainly a real prospect for the future.

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