Wednesday news roundup: United confident of signing £50m Rose

Jose Mourinho confident of landing Tottenham Hotspur star

Despite Manchester United being in the middle of a massive week that could well define their season, that hasn’t stopped the media from linking the club with a big-money move for Tottenham Hotspur’s Danny Rose. United, who beat Spurs’ North London rivals Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday, take on CSKA Moscow in their final Champions League group stage match on Tuesday, knowing that they will progress to the round of 16 if they can avoid defeat. Whilst most eyes are on Sunday’s upcoming Manchester derby, the Daily Mail are reporting that manager Jose Mourinho is increasingly confident of landing Rose for a fee believed to be worth around £50 million, either when the transfer window re-opens next month, or in the summer.

The left-back’s future at the North London outfit has come under scrutiny in recent months, amid reports that he has fallen out with manager Mauricio Pochettino. Mourinho has stuck with the impressive Ashley Young on the left side of defence, ahead of the likes of Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind, although securing a player of Rose’s age and calibre would see the position filled on a long-term basis. With forgotten man Luke Shaw seemingly on his way out of Old Trafford having failed to win over the Portuguese boss, it may be a matter of time before United’s interest is turned into something more concrete.

Highly-rated Frenchman dreams of joining United

Rose, however, is not the only player linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams, as French outfit Rennes’ highly-rated youngster James Lea Siliki has issued a ‘come and get me plea’ as he spoke of his love for United. The 21-year-old has established himself as a key member of the Ligue 1 side and despite the fact that he has yet to find the back of the net this season, he has nonetheless caught the eye, making 15 appearances in all competitions. “When I was younger, in my room, I dreamt of big games,” the France under 19 international told Ouest France. “I’m a professional footballer, it’s an obsession ever since I could understand. I dreamt of Manchester United, of their stadium, of their colours. I grew up with the Ferguson years, the Boxing Day games on Canal+, the 95th minute wins.”

Summer signing settling in nicely ahead of City clash

As Pep Guardiola’s runaway leaders Manchester City gear up for a trip to the Theatre of Dreams, one player who may find himself handed the task of stopping the likes of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus is summer signing Victor Lindelof. The centre-back is slowly settling into life in the Premier League following a tough start, and has been in fantastic form in the past couple of matches, picking up the man of the match award in United’s recent 1-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion. Despite the eye-catching performances, the Sweden international is keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he continuously seeks to improve on a daily basis.

“Well I think when you come to a new club, you always have to learn,” Lindelof told ManUtd.com ahead of CSKA Moscow’s visit. “I’m still learning, I learn every day and I’m working hard to try to help the team. “I speak with the manager, he’s been very good for me and I think I can learn a lot from him and also the other coaches. So we talk and it has been good. “The whole team have helped as well. We always try to help each other. For me I cannot just pick one. I think the whole team has been very good since I arrived and helped me in a lot of ways.”

With fellow centre-backs Phil Jones and Eric Bailly still working their way back from their respective injuries, Lindelof could expect to start his first ever Manchester derby and hopefully be part of the side that closes the gap between United and their arch-rivals to just five points.