MANCHESTER UNITED are ready to win the race for Viktor Gyokeres.
The Red Devils recently revealed total operating expenses have dropped by £41.6million to £162.1m in the latest quarterly club accounts after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal cost cutting.
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That is despite the cash spent on the Glazers’ debt spiralling to a staggering £1.2BILLION.
United’s gradual U-turn in club finances means they are ready to pip Arsenal to land Sporting Lisbon striker Gyokeres.
The Gunners are keen on the former Coventry hitman, 27, but are also chasing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.
Sweden striker Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season, has an £85m release clause.
But it is understood that the Portuguese side would accept a fee closer to £60m this summer.
United boss Ruben Amorim is now ready to raid his former club after the boost in their accounts.
Yet the Glazers’ debt still casts a long shadow over the fallen giants, whose wage bill was down a huge £20m to £71.2m compared with a year ago.
United have now spent an astonishing £1.2bn on the debt in 20 years of the Americans’ ownership.
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According to the BBC, £815m in debt interest repayments; £166m in dividends to shareholders; £197m in external net debt repayments and £10m in management and administration fees to the Glazer family companies has left the club since the Glazers bought it in June 2005.
Meanwhile, chief executive Omar Berrada warned United must improve after a humiliating season in which they finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham.
He said: “We were proud to reach the final of the Europa League but ultimately were disappointed to finish as runner-up in Bilbao.
“We had a difficult season in the Premier League, which fell below our standards, and we have a clear expectation of improvement next season.”
United have already agreed to pay £62.5m to land forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
And they are chasing a £55m deal for Brentford ace Bryan Mbeumo as they attempt to stay within the Prem’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
But Amorim will also need to offload a clutch of big-name players from a group including Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Casemiro.
