Man Utd: Ratcliffe told who his first January transfer should be with ‘tough decision’ ahead

Former Man Utd striker Dimitar Berbatov thinks incoming investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe should make Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich his first signing.

The Red Devils announced on Christmas Eve that an agreement had been reached between Ratcliffe’s INEOS and the club, which will give the British billionaire a 25 per cent stake in the club.

Ratcliffe will also be handed control of football operations by the Glazers after the regulatory approval process has been completed, which expected to take four to six weeks.

That will take until beyond the January transfer window but a report has claimed that any major transfer in January must be run past Ratcliffe before being pushed through.

Kimmich, who has often been compared to Bayern Munich and Germany legend Philipp Lahm, is seen as one of the best midfielders in world football and Berbatov thinks Man Utd and Ratcliffe should make the 28-year-old a priority.

Berbatov told Betfair: “Going forward with the takeover, I wonder how brave Man United will be in the transfer market. Joshua Kimmich is being linked, but he’s such an important player for Bayern Munich.

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“Can I see him leaving Bayern and coming to United in the January transfer window? I don’t think that will happen.

“Maybe we can speak about this transfer in the summer, but he’s someone who is highly regarded at his current club.

“With Casemiro’s injuries and form, maybe United are going to look for a replacement.

“Let’s not forget about Scott McTominay though, he’s there and playing well, but if Casemiro is not going to be counted on to continue to play because of his age and injuries, then of course, you need to buy someone to replace him.

“Kimmich is someone who fits perfectly in that position, but does he want to leave Bayern? That’s going to be a tough decision.”

But his reviews in Germany have not all been good in recent months with former Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthaus criticising Kimmich – who has been linked to Liverpool and Arsenal previously – after their shock 5-1 defeat to Frankfurt in the Bundesliga in early December.

Matthaus said on Sky90: “Not only on the pitch but even post-match Kimmich isn’t as visible as he used to be.

“I’m sure that has its reasons. He’s hiding. Previously, Kimmich had usually been – at least until a year or six months ago – someone who clearly and openly expressed his views in front of the camera even after defeats.

“Over the last two years, Kimmich has been properly getting his a** kicked, including by us [the media] because he just hasn’t been performing at the level we expect from him.”