David Ornstein: Manchester United eyeing Liam Delap, Matheus Cunha | Premier League | NBC Sports

Let's get back to today and welcome in David Ornstein, our Premier League insider from the Emirates. And speaking of Arsenal, David, you have a developing story that is breaking regarding the future of Thomas Partey. What can you tell us? Yeah, that's right, Cara. I've just broken the news that Arsenal want Thomas Partey to stay at the club beyond the end of his existing contract. It was due to expire in the summer of 2025. They are in talks with him over a new deal. It was assumed that he would be leaving when that existing contract came to an end. He's at the age of 31, and it wouldn't be a great surprise given all of his injuries. But I think his return to prominence for Mikel Arteta's team has made Arteta and the club be very keen on him remaining here at the Emirates Stadium. It's something that Thomas Partey is very keen on himself. He's happy at Arsenal. His family are enjoying living in London. And as I understand it, he would be open to a new two year contract or a one year contract with an option to extend by 12 months. And he would like to have improved terms as well. If an agreement is not struck, then Thomas Partey does have alternative options and he'll look to pursue them. So that's a really interesting situation. His fellow midfielder, Jorginho, is going to be leaving, we believe, when his own terms expire at the end of this campaign. They'll be adding to the midfield with the arrival of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. Arsenal are acting internally as if that is a done deal. They'll also look to strengthen an attack. Players such as Victor Jokares of Sporting Lisbon, Benjamin Sesko on the radar. I don't think Alexander Izak is going to be realistic, nor the likes of Victor Osserman and any other names you hear swirling around. They may look for a winger, but I think one would need to depart if that was going to happen. Dean Heusen of Bournemouth, they're in the race for him as a young and promising centre half, and they need a new second choice goalkeeper. So lots to do at the Emirates Stadium. And Partey is one of the things on their agenda, although it's not guaranteed that anything is going to happen there. It's a situation they're exploring. OK, meanwhile, United are kind of in rebuilding mode. They've been linked to two new forwards, which would kind of imply that they're already banking on a Rashford sale. Of course, he's been on a midseason loan to Aston Villa and has been impressive in there. So what can you tell us is going on at Old Trafford? The priority for Manchester United, Cara, in this upcoming transfer window is attack, and they are looking at a centre forward and a number 10 as their main focus. They want to get on with it pretty quickly. The finances are in place, as I understand it, to do the deals they would like to do. They do not depend on European football, I'm told, nor on sales to necessitate them. Their main focus for the number 10 position is Mateus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers. He has a 62.5 million pound release clause. He wants to come, we're told. But personal terms would still need to be agreed, which is not a formality. Let's see if other clubs come in for him as well. But there is optimism at Old Trafford that they can land him. They have alternatives, the likes of Antoine Semenya at Bournemouth and also Tyler Dibling at Southampton. But Cunha is the one they are focusing on. It's not close just yet, but I could see this one developing rapidly in the striker position. It's Liam De Lappe of Ipswich Town as their number one target. He has a 30 million pound release clause if Ipswich are relegated. But there are a lot of other suitors for him, including Chelsea. So there's no guarantee that will happen. I think Liam De Lappe will decide before the European Under-21 Championships on where he wants to go. If Manchester United are to look at others, I'm assured it will not be Victor Osserman, despite reports you might be reading. He is not on the agenda for Manchester United. They will have other options because they might have to turn to them or they stick with internal solutions such as Erasmus Hoyland. And they focus on other positions. Those other positions may be dependent more on sales. The likes of Rashford, who you talked about at the top, Aston Villa have a 40 million pound option to buy him. Let's see if they get into the Champions League and whether they are the proposition that he wants to join and also that they can afford him. I think he could also go elsewhere, of course. He's always liked the idea of somewhere like Spain, Barcelona. We'll have to wait and see. He wants to be in the Champions League. He doesn't want to be in London, we're hearing. And I don't think he has a future at Manchester United. Those funds on top of perhaps Jadon Sancho going to Chelsea on a permanent basis. Casemiro may be leaving. Antony Malasia. Let's see what happens with Hoyland. Moving Ericsson and Lindelof's wages off the bill when they expire in their own terms at the end of the season could raise a lot of money that Manchester United could reinvest. And I don't think their targets are going to change based on whether they're in Europe or not or what competition. They're pretty sure in what they want and they're going to try and do it in a busy summer at Old Trafford. One thing they don't want to have to do is replace Andre Anani if he can prove himself, because a new goalkeeper was not on the agenda. Certainly not a number one. So let's see if he can turn his form around, stay at Old Trafford and try and provide a bit of stability between the sticks. But there's plenty else that will happen and we'll keep you across it on NBC.