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Manchester United enter Benoit Badiashile ‘transfer talks’ as central defender required this summer

1 August 2020 by

Manchester United have reportedly entered into negotiations with AS Monaco for 19-year-old Benoit Badiashile, who is a central defender at the club, according to reports coming from France and reported by The Mirror. It is suggested that both Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are both interested in the French teenager who signed his last contract in December 2019 which will expire in the summer of 2024. It is suggested that United have been monitoring the teenager for some time.

Badiashile will be the third left-footed central defender to be linked to the club recently after it was alleged that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was speaking to Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake after United beat the club 5-2 in the Premier League. That talk was denied by the manager but we have seen other left-footed defenders being linked to the club from Gabriel Magalhaes, Pau Torres and now Badiashile. It might well be that United are seeking to bring in a left-footed central defender this summer.

This season, the 19-year-old made a total of 20 appearances for his club, not scoring any goals or assists. He played in Ligue 1, the Coupe de le Ligue and the Coupe de France. It is suggested that Solskjaer will be seeking to sign a long-term partner for Harry Maguire, who arrived at the Old Trafford club from Leicester City for £80 million last summer. This season, he has been partnered by Victor Lindelof for much of the season with the Sweden international floundering, apart from the last match against Maguire’s former club.

It has been reported that it would take a bid of more than €15million (£13.5million) to sign the France U91 defender from the principality club this summer as Monaco turned down a bid in that region from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. United will not want to enter into a bidding war though, which could see them pay well over the odds for the player. This is probably why the manager has earmarked a number of targets in the position, if indeed it is a position that he wants to strengthen this summer.

Personally, the defence will need to be looked at as this summer, Solskjaer could see Chris Smalling leave the club with some Italian interest in the player. Marcos Rojo reportedly wants to leave the club and Phil Jones has been used sparingly this season and is currently injured so the club should be looking to offload him, if there are any interested clubs out there wanting an injury prone defender who has not really improved in around a decade at the club.

That may sound harsh but it is true. Solskjaer will need to bring in his own players, also keeping an eye on the players coming through the club’s academy with Ethan Laird and Teden Mengi the two that might be ready to be given some first team appearances the season and beyond. It is possible that either on or both could feature in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg against LASK at Old Trafford on Wednesday, which would be good for the players and the club.

Written by John Walker

Filed Under: First Team, Managers, News, Opinion, Transfer Rumours Tagged With: , , , , ,

Manchester United ‘to end Monaco hell’ of talented 19-year-old Italian forward – reports

29 May 2020 by

Manchester United are apparently eyeing a move for Italian teenager Pietro Pellegri, according to reports. It has been reported by Football Italia that the 19-year-old could be set to join Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Mason Greenwood in the forward line at the Old Trafford club, which would see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rejuvenate the squad.

At the age of 16, Pellegri was signed by principality club AS Monaco for an £18 million (€25 million) fee with the player arriving from Genoa where at the time he had scored three goals in 10 appearances at senior level for the club. However, since then, the player has made just six appearances for Monaco, scoring one goal.

A series of injuries this season saw him not play a single minute of football for Monaco, seemingly suffering a hamstring injury, which raged on throughout much of the season, and when the plug was pulled on the Ligue 1 season, despite not being fit, it meant his season was over. It would seem his time at Monaco has not been great.

It has been stated that Solskjaer feels that Pellegri could help bring the old times back to the Old Trafford club, with the club seeking to find a new striker, which left them short up front this season and needing to make a loan signing in the form of Odion Ighalo from Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua, which ends this weekend.

Pellegri idolised Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which is a good player to model yourself on, considering the form he had at United, scoring 29 goals and 10 assists in 53 appearances for the club before leaving for LA Galaxy in the MLS, scoring 53 goals and 15 assists in 58 appearances. He’s now playing for former club, AC Milan.

The 19-year-old would be considered a risk but with the form of Rashford (19 goals and six assists), Martial (16 goals and five assists) and even Greenwood (14 goals and four assists), he could be given the time to find his feet at the club, if United’s interest in solid. However, the club has been linked to Manny names already it is hard to tell.

United are still linked to Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, who is reportedly the clubs number one target, Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, and even Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham, who might yet opt to sign for Dortmund. United need to secure two attacking players; a striker and a right-winger.

With the Premier League due to resume in two week’s time, Solskjaer will be concentrating on getting his squad up to fitness after not playing a match since mid-March when the league and the rest of world football was suspended. Since then, the Bundesliga has returned, entering it’s third weekend of action with La Liga and Serie A yet to resume.

Pellegri could be an under the radar signing and could play more U23 level football, than first team level football at the start of his United career, if indeed these reports are true. However, with Joe Hugill‘s impending arrival, that might not be something that happens. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens this summer.

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Manchester United and Arsenal interested in £40 million French striker this summer – reports

28 April 2020 by

Manchester United and Premier League rivals Arsenal are reportedly going to be locked in an ‘intense’ scramble for AS Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder according to reports. Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will make it a five team Premier League battle with Real Madrid also suggested amongst the players suitors.

The 29-year-old France international was linked to United in the summer following the departure of Romelu Lukaku, who left the Old Trafford club for Inter Milan, but nothing materialised for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side with the club instead waiting until the January transfer window to sign Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo on a six-month loan instead.

The striker matches his 18-goal haul from the 2018/19 season in just 28 Ligue 1 matches this season, scoring another goal in the Coupe de France, making it 19 goals this season. Now that the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons have been prematurely ended, that will be the strikers haul this season, also assisting nine goals in all competitions.

French news source, L’Equipe has reported that a £40 million fee should be something that the principality club manager to get for the striker this summer, whenever the transfer window opens after the Coronavirus pandemic stopped world football with some leagues ending their seasons and other still having plans to play them out.

United manager Solskjaer will be seeking to sign a new striker this summer and personally I would prefer the club to secure a long-term deal for Ighalo, who has done well since joining in January, scoring four goals and one assist in eight appearances in the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may need to find a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer with the Gabon international linked with a departure from the North London club – who will be out of contract in 12 months time. Liverpool also seem interested but Timo Werner may be the striker for Jurgen Klopp, if a deal can be agreed.

Monaco signed Ben Yedder in the summer of 2019 after paying his €40 release clause from Spanish side Sevilla and are likely to not let him leave the club on the cheap. The Frenchman has scored 19 goals and nine assists in 31 appearances for Monaco, also scoring 70 goals and 22 assist in 138 appearances for Sevilla, and 71 goals and 22 assists for Toulouse.

“Barcelona could have happened much earlier for me.

“Last summer they made contacts for me, they collected a lot of information about me and the same was true this winter, but the move did not happen.

“It shows I am doing a good job, but despite this interest I am totally focused on my performances with Monaco.”

Ben Yedder was also linked to Barcelona last summer with the above quote form the player when he spoke to Onze Mundial. It just goes to show the varied interest in the player from a number of clubs in England and Spain, which could once again come to fruition this summer, as soon as the transfer window opens. Whether United are interested remains to be seen though.

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Manchester United have revived their interest in Youri Tielemans; is it just a game to hurry Harry Maguire deal?

15 June 2019 by

Manchester United has reportedly revived their interest in Youri Tielemans. The 22-year-old Belgian midfielder was loaned to Premier League side Leicester City last season, doing well, especially towards the end of the season. The AS Monaco midfielder would be seeking a move away from the principality club this summer.

It is reported that United contacted Monaco at the end of the season to see if they would be prepared to do a deal in order for United to sign the player this summer. According to well-respected Belgian journalist, Kristoff Terreur, Ole Gunner Solslkjaer’s side has returned for more talks on the prospective deal for the 22-year-old.

Monaco is interested in selling Tielemans this summer but only if their valuation of £40 million is met, which would not be a problem for a club like United. It is suggested that United have earmarked Tielemans to replace Paul Pogba, who is likely to leave the club this summer with both Real Madrid and former club Juventus interested in the Frenchman.

Leicester City wants to secure the services of the 22-year-old this summer after the impact he made with the Foxes last season. The player scored 13 goals, with the player emerging as genuine talent in the Premier League. Manager, Brendan Rodgers would like to ensure the club retains the player, who would be paired in midfield with James Maddison, another player United has been linked with this summer.

Leicester will have to manage their transfer budget this summer, which is why they have not met Monaco’s valuation of the player yet. With United making contact, it could either provoke a reaction from Leicester to meet the fee they will need to play or lose the services of the player. However, with United interested in Harry Maguire, it could well be a move United have made to hurry up a deal for the England defender.

If it came to both clubs contending for Tielemans signature this summer, Leicester may feel that they have a chance of winning as the player spent a season at the club. However, United can offer UEFA Europa League football, something Leicester cannot, which could see the player signing for United if they are really interested in signing him. I guess we will see what the coming weeks bring as something will need to start happening soon as pre-season is just around the corner.

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Manchester United linked to loan move for Monaco’s Youri Tielemans – reports

29 January 2019 by

Manchester United have been linked to AS Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans according to reports from Belgian news outlet Nieuwsblad. It has been stated that after the suspension and sacking of Thierry Henry and the reappointment of Leonardo Jardim, the 21-year-old Belgian midfielder can leave the club. Tielemans was seeking a move from the club when Jardim was still the manager but Henry’s appointment led to a change of decision.

Now that Jardim is back with the club, it will leave Tielemans on the sidelines again which will only bring about talk of the player leaving the club once again. It has been reported by Nieuwsblad that AC Milan, United, and Barcelona have all held some interest in the player, which had been suggested by the Daily Mail. This makes me wonder if the Belgian source has reported on the supposed interest reported by the Mail, or whether they have their own information on the reported interest.

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Tielemans is also a target for Leicester City, which seems more logical with a €23 million fee reported. It makes me wonder if the media in the United Kingdom, and that of the rest of Europe, just make rumours up based on nothing other than directing attention to their outlet, which seems to be riddled with advertising which in turn will add lots of money to their coffers. We have seen this during every transfer window – making stuff up equals lots of traffic which equates to lots of money.

Whilst United were credited with an interest in Tielemans over the past few years, a move was never made for the player. Why would they make a move now? There is a suggestion that Marouane Fellaini could leave the Old Trafford club during this window, or at least the one in China which ends on the 28 February 2019 but that does not mean that United will be seeking to replace him, especially with a player that lacks any experience of the Premier League.

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If Fellaini leaves the club at this stage of the season, caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be left with Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Fred, Scott McTominay, and Andreas Pereira in the more experienced player’s central midfield position. Solskjaer will also have the likes of James Garner and even Matty Willock to call upon from the Academy if Willock is not loaned out against by Thursday’s deadline.

All of this seems to suggest the rumour is nothing but hearsay created to cause an attraction, rather than to relay actual facts linking a player to United. Some media outlets report that Tottenham Hotspur was interested in Tielemans, however, the headlines suggest that he is a player hotly linked to Leicester City, which is the most likely destination for the player, based on the clarity of the reporting by different sources. Perhaps if Leicester signs him, there will be a scathing article suggesting United missed out, again!

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Manchester United interested in Monaco fullback Djibril Sidibe ahead of a big summer transfer window – reports

5 April 2018 by

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly interested in AS Monaco fullback Djibril Sidibe, according to reports. This is the second report linking the Old Trafford club to a new fullback in the same day. It has already been suggested the Mourinho is interested in a right-back, a left-back, a central defender and two midfielders this summer and despite already being linked to Alex Sandro and Faouzi Ghoulam, Sidibe has now been linked to the Theatre of Dreams.

French news outlet Le10Sport is the source of the reports which state United have an interest in the 25-year-old and whether that is true or not remains to be seen. The report claims that Mourinho has already begun negotiations to lure the French international this summer which also states that the Portuguese manager has stated his intentions to the player. Sidibe can operate on either flank, so with reports linking United to Sandro and Ghoulam, it is possible Sidibe could be brought in to cover the right flank or just another option for the left.

On Wednesday, reports materialised linking Fabinho to United, which seems to have been the case in each transfer window since 2015 with the Brazilian desperate for a move to the Theatre of Dreams, which could see both Fabinho and Sidibe leaving for the Premier League club this summer if reports are in fact correct. United do not have great fall back options at both right and left-back with just Antonio Valencia on the right and Luke Shaw on the left. This season has seen Ashley Young operate on each flank at times, the majority of the time on the left, ahead of Shaw.

Sidibe has impressed in Ligue 1 this season, scoring three goals and assisting a further eight goals for his side, who are second to Paris Saint-Germain, despite selling a number of their star players last summer, something which looks set to continue into the summer. United will be seeking players to turn the side into a team which could challenge Manchester City next season, the team who has run away with the league this season, sitting 16 points ahead of United with seven matches remaining this season.

The French international has made a total of 28 appearances for Monaco this season, scoring three goals and eight assists. Defensively, Sidibe offers an average of 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.9 clearances, and 0.2 blocks per match. Offensively, Sidibe offers 0.7 shots, 1.3 key passes, 0.8 dribbles and gets dispossessed an average of 0.8 times per match. The Frenchman can operate at left-back, right-back or even as an attacking midfielder on the right, which is a position United need to fill, not that Sidibe would be the ideal player here.

Sidibe has many strengths, which include; long shots, his defensive contribution, finding key passes, his passing accuracy, an average of around 84% this season, and his ability to cross the ball, which is something United could do with in a player of his position. Sidibe also likes to tackle but commits fouls often. The Frenchman could be a viable option but many see Timothy Fosu-Mensah as the heir to Antonio Valencia. One worry here is that with United not having a true right-back at the club, with experience, the Dutchman may not find his feet as easily as it could be for him.

United clearly need experience in the fullback areas ahead of the new season. That is the main positions where United have struggled, having Valencia as a right-back, which happened a few years ago now and has worked on and off, and with Luke Shaw struggling to find the form in the left-back position, Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian, and Marcos Rojo all being tried in this position with Ashley Young stepping forward and dominating, at times. It all seems to have been down to luck. With actual fullback with the ability in this area, United will be much better from the back.

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Fabinho keen on a switch to Manchester United but are the Old Trafford club interested in him?

4 April 2018 by

AS Monaco midfielder Fabinho is keen on forcing a move to Manchester United this summer, according to reports. The Brazilian has been linked to the Old Trafford club ahead and during each transfer window for the last three seasons now. He’s also strongly been linked to reigning French champions Paris Saint-Germain, who have been tipped to sign him this summer. Last summer, the number of players who left the principality club meant Fabinho remained, seeing the likes of Benjamin Mendy and Kylian Mbappe leave the club.

The 24-year-old is said to be determined for Monaco to let him leave the club at the end of the season, with Old Trafford thought to be his preferred destination. United manager Jose Mourinho will be seeking some new midfielders this summer with Michael Carrick set to retire and become a coach at the club and Marouane Fellaini expected to leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season, so far refusing to sign the contract offer which has been on the table for a few months now.

Fabinho would be a good signing, he is experienced and could offer some defensive cover for the side, who have heavily relied on Nemanja Matic this season. This could also see Paul Pogba being given the freedom to express himself, which he has done in stages since he made his return to Manchester United in the summer of 2016. Paris Saint-Germain did try and sign the Brazilian last summer, despite being linked to United, and the Parisian club could attempt to do the same this summer, which is what has been reported by some sources already. Fabinho has said:

“Speaking the truth, I have had no contact with any team and I do not even care at the moment. “I’m concentrating on finishing the season well at Monaco and then, when it’s time, I’ll sit down with the club and if I have to listen to any proposal, we’ll listen.”

Fabinho could be available for a fee of around £55 million, according to The Sun and his current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2021, which means Monaco do not need to sell to the team which comes for his first, in fact, I don’t think they will be in a rush to sell him in all honesty as he offers versatility in the fact he can play in midfield and as a right-back, which was the area he played in when he was first linked to United in the summer of 2015, when Louis van Gaal signed Matteo Darmian instead.

United have already been linked with Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri, Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred and Napoli midfielder Jorginho in the last few months, with many midfielders linked to the club heading into the winter transfer window, most of whom have not yet been linked with the club again. Mourinho will need to strengthen his midfield this summer and he could go far worse than Fabinho, who has wanted to play for United for some time now and the supporters seem happy for him to be brought to the Theatre of Dreams.

The question remains though; are Manchester United interested in Fabinho? The fact they have not attempted to sign in over the last few years may suggest they are not but we do not know if the club had made a move, being deflected away by the principality club. Fabinho would be a good bit of business for Mourinho and United and if another midfielder came in too, it could signal a good start to the new season with United actually having a midfield capable of challenging the best of the Premier League and maybe beyond.

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Marouane Fellaini wanted by AS Monaco on a free this summer – reports

27 March 2018 by

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini is expected to walk away from the Theatre of Dreams this summer after the expiry of his current contract. Jose Mourinho has spoken about the club offering his ‘go to’ player a new contract, also mentioning that the Belgian has refused to accept the contract which started reports of the player leaving the club on a free, five years after signing.

Fellaini will not be a player missed by many after becoming David Moyes’ first and only signing of the summer transfer window in 2013, signing for £27.5 million from Everton, despite being available for £4 million cheaper much earlier in that transfer window. It soon emerged that Moyes has been screwed by the club failing to land their targets. A big learning curve for United.

The Belgian midfielder has been linked to Paris Saint-Germain, Besiktas and now principality club, AS Monaco. By the end of the season, Fellaini will have spent a decade in the Premier League and at 30, he may be seeking one last payday of his career – able to move on a free and accept a signing on fee, which could run in the millions.

Fellaini has offered a lot to United, scored some crucial goals and been that go-to player that both Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal used at times, seemingly playing better under Mourinho over the last two seasons. Injury has played a part during his time at United but that has nothing to do with how many see the player – many never saw him as United quality.

It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Monaco are somewhat interested in the Belgian this summer and it is suggested that he could be the player to fill the boot of Thomas Lemar at the club, who is expected to leave the principality club this summer, a year after talks between the club and Arsenal broke down at the end of last summer.

It may be a loss for United, but also that start of a new future. Michael Carrick will hang up his boots this summer, possibly even becoming a coach at the club under Mourinho next season. Fellaini’s departure will also show that Mourinho has some work to do, possibly bringing in two new midfielders this summer, in order to strengthen the club ahead of an important season.

Fellaini has played 152 times for United since joining the Old Trafford club, scoring 19 goals so far, some of them crucial in Mourinho’s debut season as manager with the Belgian scoring in the EFL Cup semi-final against Hull City, a crucial goal to earn a final, which United won, also scoring against Celta Vigo in the UEFA Europa League away from home, which helped win on aggregate.

The Belgian may not go down as one of the best players the club have had post-Sir Alex Ferguson, but he will be one who has done a lot for the Old Trafford club, which may not be appreciated by many. He has also become the villain at times, especially conceding that penalty last season turning a win into a draw in stoppage time.

It seems certain that Marouane Fellaini will not be a player Jose Mourinho or the Manchester United supporters will have as an option next season. The start of a new era at the club?

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Fabinho tempted by move to Manchester United

23 June 2017 by

AS Monaco midfielder Fabinho has stated that he would be tempted with a move to Manchester United this summer, should manager Jose Mourinho be interested in signing the player, which may not be the case despite reports suggesting differently over the last few days. The 23-year-old midfielder, who can also play in the right-back position and as a full back should he need to be was one of the stars behind the resurgence of Monaco last season being an important player in their race to lift the Ligue 1 trophy and earn a semi-final place in the UEFA Champions League. Fabinho already seems to be loved by United supporters with many wondering why Mourinho has not made a move for the player, seemingly opting for Nemanja Matic of Chelsea instead, say the reports.

Fabinho was last linked to United two years ago with the manager at the time, Louis van Gaal opting to sign Matteo Darmian for the right-back position, a place the Italian has now lost with Antonio Valencia being resurgent in the role, being one of the most improved players at the club last season under Mourinho. Fabinho is a player who is known to Mourinho, spending some time at Real Madrid on loan whilst the Portuguese was the manager at the Santiago Bernabeu giving the Brazilian his debut for the club at the end of the 2012/13 season in a 6-2 victory over Malaga. The link to Jorge Mendes, the agent of the player and Mourinho could hold a key to the transfer, but Mourinho would need to at least be interested in the player.

In an interview which was broadcast live on Brazilian television channel Esporte Interativo earlier today, Fabinho was asked if he would be keen on signing for Manchester United this summer, should the club be interested in bringing him from Monaco, to which he replied:

“It’s a tempting invitation. I would first talk to my agent, Monaco too, to decide everything right. But it’s a great club, sure enough, I would think well about it.”

Fabinho would be considered a good fit at United, at 23 he has experienced a lot and still has a lot to learn. He is tipped to be a rising star in the game, which he has done at the principality club, especially as he was moved into a midfield role, one which he has adapted well to. Seeing that United need to strength in the centre of midfield is another no brainer with the player able to play in the Michael Carrick role, shielding the back four which would release both Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera to play their roles more effectively next season. Fabinho played 37 matches in the Ligue 1 last season, scoring nine goals, creating 33 chances for his teammates, his shot accuracy was high at 72%, which for a player like his is brilliant also helping maintain possession with 84% of his passes reaching a teammate.

Fabinho would offer United something extra, cementing the midfield a little more, also bringing some experience with him, most recently playing to his potential in the UEFA Champions League, a competition United will be back in next season. Nemanja Matic reportedly seems to be the player Mourinho is after, with The Sun suggesting the player had agreed personal terms with the Old Trafford club, which has since been challenged by other sources. Fabinho would be a great coup for United, his youth strengthening any fee which would be paid by United, which yesterday was €35 million and a further €5 million in add-ons. One thing is for sure, there is not a lot of time before United embark on their pre-season tour, which seems to be the time Mourinho would want most, if not all, of his summer signings to be in place.

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Manchester United ‘closing in’ on Fabinho – reports

22 June 2017 by

Manchester United have stepped further forward in their pursuit of AS Monaco midfielder Fabinho this summer according to reports. The Mirror are currently suggesting that United are the favourites to sign the Brazilian midfielder this summer is a deal with could be worth £35 million. The reports come from Italy, which could be something to be suspicious of with Corriere dello Sport making the claims of the possible deal. It was stated only last week that United manager Jose Mourinho was not interested in signing the Brazilian, who can also play in the right-back role, giving United some depth should cover be needed to Antonio Valencia next season, which will be needed to rest the player – keeping him fresh throughout the season.

Fabinho was one of the star players in Monaco’s Ligue 1 title-winning season, putting pressure on Paris Saint-German who did not seem to be the same team after Zlatan Ibrahimovic left the club for United last July. Monaco had a great season with the likes of Fabinho, Kylian Mbappe, Benjamin Mendy and Thomas Lemar, not to mention Radamel Falcao with the club making the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Fabinho could offer something different for Jose Mourinho, not only fortifying the central defensive midfield role but also filling in at right-back and even as a wing-back should Mourinho require it, meaning he is a player who would offer a lot throughout the season and less predictability for United.

At the start of the summer, Mourinho handed a list of targets to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward which contained the name Victor Lindelof, United’s first signing of the summer coming in from Benfica for around £30.7 million. Nemanja Matic and Eric Dier, as well as Fabinho, were all on the list as were Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata, and Andrea Belotti among others. Griezmann is a player United have ended their interest in for this summer or at least cooled which is what has been suggested, keeping that door open should it need to be used. Fabinho would be a great signing as the 23-year-old seems to have a great future ahead of him. He was a target for United two summers ago with Matteo Darmian signing for Louis van Gaal’s side instead.

Juventus and Inter Milan were both credited with an interest in Fabinho, which would have given United some competition, but the player has spoken about Manchester United in the past, seemingly wanting a move to the Theatre of Dreams by all accounts. The fee being reported in Italy is €35 million with an additional €5 million on bonuses. SportWitness have an article about the claims from Italy stating that the guy the reports came from, Davide Russo de Cerame is very confident of the news he has put forward. He is not Gianluca Di Marzio, but he must believe the source he has provided him with the information on the prospective transfer. We shall see what becomes of this news. I remain skeptical but I wait to hear some great news which will make many happy.

Manchester United and Jose Mourinho will be looking to get deals across the line before the club embark on the pre-season tour of the United States of America where they will play LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake before taking on Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the International Champions Cup. United will play a further two pre-season matches; one in Norway against Vålerenga  and another in Dublin against Sampdoria. Before the Premier League season starts with United taking on West Ham United at Old Trafford, the UEFA Super Cup will be contested between United and Real Madrid, the two clubs playing each other for the second time this summer, which could be Mourinho’s first trophy of his second season, which would be a great start.

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