United failed to seal the signing of Alvaro Morata and Fabinho this week and were joined by a European heavyweight in the race for the latter player.
FABINHO
Manchester United were joined by Paris Saint-Germain in the race for Monaco midfielder Fabinho. While Monaco remain reluctant to sell one of their star players to their closet and most direct rivals, United fell behind the Parisians in the transfer race before reportedly recovering pole position once again. While United are yet to bid for the Brazilian, negotiations are ongoing. PSG appeared to steal a march on United and made a bid of around £40m, but it was instinctively rejected by Monaco. PSG would need to cough up at least £50-55m to get Fabinho while a fee of around £40-45m is expected to be enough for United to get their man.
NEMANJA MATIC
Fabinho is the not the only central midfielder targeted by United as Mourinho is looking for a reunion with Nemanja Matic at Old Trafford. While formal negotiations are believed to be over and a deal is rumoured to be in place, the absence of an announcement from Chelsea of the transfer of Monaco’s Tiemoune Bakayoko remains the stumbling block. It was even reported that a medical for Matic was expected in 48 hours but nothing came out of it as Chelsea failed to get one of their prime summer targets. Matic was ostensibly left out of Chelsea’s kit advert, fanning the flames of transfer speculation. The move is expected to be complete once Chelsea get a replacement signing done and dusted.
ALVARO MORATA
Manchester United are yet to reach an agreement with Real Madrid over a move for Alvaro Morata. He is one of Mourinho’s top priorities and the summer saga has stretched on endlessly. Morata is doing all he can from his end to seal a move to Old Trafford. He even took a break from his honeymoon in Ibiza to meet one-on-one with Florentino Perez. While the player and Madrid agreed that a move was ideal, a deal is yet to be sealed as United remain reluctant to meet Madrid’s £79.5m valuation. United feel they should get their man for a fee close to £65m. United fans and Mourinho will be hoping to get their man ahead of their pre-season linkup on Saturday 8th July.
MATTEO DARMIAN
After the bombshell phone conversation with Jose Mourinho, Juventus were favourites to sign Matteo Darmian this summer. But the Italian Champions were joined by Inter Milan in the race to sign the versatile defender. United hold all the cards as Darmian and could get a fee close to £20-25m for the utility player. United are still keen on Inter’s Ivan Perisic and a swap deal involving Darmian going to the San Siro has been mooted. Darmian is scheduled for a meeting with Mourinho once the squad regroups for preseason on Saturday.
On the non-player front, United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly furious at Ed Woodward over ‘botching up’ United’s transfer window. With just one signing out of four top priority ones (Victor Lindelof, Ivan Perisic, Alvaro Morata and Fabinho) completed ahead of the early July deadline Mourinho gave Woodward, Mourinho is understandably upset at the United executive. United are also likely to miss out on Perisic and have already lined up potential replacements further upsetting Jose. Woodward will be hoping to avoid rumours like the ones surrounding Conte at Chelsea and get Mourinho’s men.