Manchester United Transfer News: Club Shouldn't Overspend for Edinson Cavani

As nice as it would be for Manchester United to acquire Napoli striker Edinson Cavani this summer, the Red Devils have bigger fish to fry. If the Italian club is unwilling to accept less than the £54 million stipulated in his release clause, United should turn their attention elsewhere.

As reported by Jim Daly of the Daily Mirror, manager Rafa Benitez admitted Cavani will only be sold if a club is willing to wager a massive offer or can trigger the striker’s release clause:

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We would be really happy if that's how it works out. If he leaves then it would only be because someone has matched the release clause or comes up with an irresistible offer. Cavani knows how much he is loved and how valuable he is to the city and to the team.

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The 26-year-old a tremendous player with few holes in his game, capable of finishing with the best attackers in the world. But for a price tag of upwards of £50 million, the Red Devils can afford to look elsewhere this summer, especially if that means acquiring a player like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Granted, reuniting with Ronaldo seems like a long shot at this point, especially with another year left on his contract with Real Madrid. But according to Matthew Morlidge of the Daily Mail, bringing Ronaldo back may not be as much of an improbability as once thought:

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Cristiano Ronaldo could be on his way back to Manchester United as it has emerged he is due to meet Old Trafford officials in the next three days. 

The Real Madrid star had been linked with a move back to England after an unhappy campaign at the Bernabeu but it was hoped the arrival of new boss Carlo Ancelotti would persuade him to stay in Spain.

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That’s not to suggest Manchester United should put all their eggs in one basket. But with similarly appealing targets appearing more available by the minute, why should the Red Devils overspend when they can put that money toward efforts to bring back Ronaldo?

Not to mention Cavani’s rumoured demands for a £300,000-per-week payday, as noted by Alan Nixon of the Daily Mirror.

Can United afford the transfer fee and weekly sum? Of course. But with the prospect of landing a more appealing star very much still available, there’s no reason to jump the gun.

And here’s the bottom line that may make this all a nonfactor: If United aren’t readily willing to pull the trigger on a deal as soon as the transfer window opens, there’s no reason to get too caught up in the Cavani talk.

The longer clubs wait to make a deal, the more each club will likely be willing to offer. There are simply too many good options available for United to get into a bidding war.

There’s no question the Red Devils can afford to search for an elite striker this summer, especially with Wayne Rooney potentially making his way from Old Trafford, as noted by Neil Custis of the Sun.

Should Rooney be handed his walking papers, United would be in possession of plenty of extra cash with which to bring in a top target on the transfer market—but that doesn’t mean they should settle for anything less than the best player they can bring in.

There are caveats, of course. In order to bring in an elite footballer like Gareth Bale, United would have to top out near the £100 million mark, as reported by Charlie Wyett of the Sun. In that particular scenario, Cavani’s £54 million release clause doesn’t look so bad.

Whatever the case, United shouldn’t make a point to overspend to meet demands they aren’t comfortable with. If Cavani’s price tag is too steep in relation to what they can get elsewhere, there’s no reason to overspend.