INEOS officially sign left-back on transfer deadline day

INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have entered transfer deadline day with Manchester United supporters still desperate to see a left-back arrive at Old Trafford.

United currently have Luke Shaw as their only natural senior option there.

Patrick Dorgu has been viewed more as a left-winger under Michael Carrick.

Shaw was beaten by Abdul Fatawu in the build-up to Ipswich Town’s opener at the weekend, another reminder of the risks in leaving the position short.

His injury record has also been a long-standing concern, even if his availability improved significantly last season.

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed he could “guarantee” United were still looking for a left-back solution, potentially in the mould of the short-term Sergio Reguilon deal from 2023.

United have looked at several options this summer, including Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Alejandro Balde.

Elsewhere, Carrick’s midfield has already been heavily rebuilt through the arrivals of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.

INEOS have now officially completed a left-back signing on deadline day.

INEOS complete deadline-day left-back signing

OGC Nice have officially announced the signing of Niels Nkounkou from Eintracht Frankfurt.

The French side confirmed on their official website that the 25-year-old has joined on loan with an option to buy.

Nice are also owned by INEOS.

However, Ratcliffe has been looking to sell the club as he continues reshaping his wider sporting portfolio.

Nkounkou is a modern, attack-minded left-back who likes to get forward and can also operate as a wing-back.

He has played in the English Premier League after joining Everton from Marseille in 2020, where he showed early promise as an aggressive overlapping full-back before loans elsewhere.

His strongest spell arguable came at Saint-Etienne, where he scored six league goals in 20 appearances before earning a move to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Nkounkou later played in Germany and spent last season on loan at Torino, giving him experience across several European leagues.

For United, supporters, however, the irony will be obvious.

INEOS have delivered a left-back on deadline day, just not for Manchester United.