Manchester United is reportedly in talks for a £9 million defensive midfielder! The new Rodri has rejected Valencia's new contract, but the price may be too high to secure him.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's budget for Manchester United this summer is insufficient, thus he must be cautious with expenditures. According to British media, the club is once again in discussions with Leicester City's midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for another position in need of reinforcements—the midfield.

The 28-year-old Nigerian defensive midfielder has a relegation release clause of £9 million, and several clubs, including Manchester United, Everton, and two other Premier League teams, are interested in exploring a deal. European teams are also keen, with Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Real Betis, and clubs from the Saudi Pro League considering making offers.

It is reported that Manchester United and Ndidi have discussed personal terms, but the club may first look to bring in a striker, assess the remaining budget, and then decide on the goalkeeper and midfielder positions. Ndidi has returned to Leicester City for the club's pre-season training. When the "Foxes" last got relegated to the Championship, he stayed at the King Power Stadium and helped the team quickly return to the Premier League, but this time it may not be as easy.

Recently, Manchester United has been closely linked with 22-year-old midfielder Javier Gracia Moreno from La Liga’s Valencia. According to Marca, although this "Bats" youth player prefers to renew his contract, the terms offered by the club have failed to impress his agent and have been rejected.

Known as the "New Rodri," Gracia's contract runs until the summer of 2027, and Villarreal holds a 30% cut on his next transfer. Therefore, Valencia aims to secure over €28 million in transfer fees to ensure they receive €20 million.

Acquiring a new midfielder is not a priority in Manchester United's transfer plans; Ruben Amorim hopes to first secure a new striker and a new goalkeeper. It is expected that signing a number 9 will cost at least £50 million, while a goalkeeper could cost around £20 million. The Red Devils need to raise these funds through player sales; Rashford's loan to Barcelona is at zero rental fee and has not generated immediate income. The selling prices of Garnacho, Antony, and Sancho will determine what players the Glazers' investment team can acquire.

If these three can bring in £100 million, Manchester United could sign a striker, a goalkeeper, and a midfielder. However, if their sales do not go well or are also loans, then Amorim may face issues with funds for further signings, likely having to forgo some positions or consider lower-cost players like Ndidi or even free agents.

The process of offloading surplus players at Manchester United has not been smooth; even after Antony, who scored 9 goals and assisted 5 times while on loan at Real Betis last season, has yet to be sold. Betis is interested in signing him, but negotiations with the Red Devils have been stalled over price. Antony has returned to Manchester but cannot train with the team, idly wandering around in an NBA jersey of star LeBron James.

Betis president Ángel Haro stated in an interview with Sevilla Diario: "From an economic standpoint, this must meet our standards. Ultimately, whether the transfer is successful depends on Manchester United's asking price. Given Manchester United's demands, a loan is more feasible than a purchase. We assume he can join and are working towards that, but if it doesn't happen, I don't see it as a failure."

"Bringing in such a talented player and paying such a high salary is certainly not easy," added Betis sporting director Manuel Fahardo. "Our responsibility is to be prepared; if Antony cannot join, we have other options. So the club is remaining calm."