Pre contracts not working what can I do to fix?

So basically its 2022 and there is a few players I want to sign on a free when their contract is up. 

I am doing a Man Utd save and when I click to offer contract the players do not want to negotiate; it say's they are "extremely uninterested in discussing contract terms"

These are players from the likes of Benfica and Juve and its not an attraction issue because I picked up Frenkie from Barca in the first window.

Now when I offer the club money and it goes to contract talks; the player is now “extremely interested in discussing contract terms”

What can I do to fix this as there's players I can get on a free that I don't want to pay money for and lose out on?