(Update: Matuidi speaks publicly on United rumors)
Blaise Matuidi to Manchester United? We’ve heard this narrative before.
Back in the summer of 2014, he was linked with a move to not just the Red Devils, but also Arsenal and Manchester City. Nothing came of it as the Paris Saint-Germain star went on to sign a new deal to remain at the Parc des Princes.
A disagreement between agents, if the Daily Express is to be believed, scuppered a move away from PSG then, but reports via ESPN FC now suggest it will be a different story this summer:
Manchester United are hoping to complete the signings of both Paul Pogba from Juventus and Blaise Matuidi from Paris Saint-Germain, sources have told ESPN FC.
United’s interest in Matuidi had initially been seen as a back-up to Pogba, if they could not persuade Juve to sell their star midfielder, but Jose Mourinho’s wish to revitalise the midfield could see both arrive this summer.
Sources have told ESPN FC that the club must still convince Pogba to join them, despite intermediaries agreeing basic terms with both Juventus and the player’s agent.
United have already signed one former PSG star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, this summer so why not add another?
The last time United and PSG met was last summer in an international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL, USA. Matuidi had one whale of a game; and he scored one of Les Parisiens two goals in the match.
Of course, that exhibition contest is more remembered for
1.) the Angel di Maria transfer between the two clubs which overshadowed every other story line that night and
2.) how distracted, out of form David de Gea was, with the potential transfer to his hometown Real Madrid weighing on his mind.
United’s #1 would not see game action again for several weeks after that 2-0 defeat to PSG.
Flashing forward to the present, any United deal for Matuidi seems to be dependent on, or perhaps interconnected to, Paul Pogba who himself was linked to Paris St Germain in March of 2015. See it’s all the circle of life here! Here’s more on the Pogba situation, and what he could potentially cost Old Trafford.
The ESPN report goes on to say that Pogba’s camp and United have already agreed to terms on a deal, but that the midfielder still needs convincing he should go back to the team that let him go for free four years ago. The Bristol based publication claims that Pogba prefers a move to Barcelona (who aren’t interested anymore after already having seen their bid rejected) or Real Madrid (who don’t seem willing to meet the record breaking £100 million price tag).
Thus, it will be very interesting to see how the Blasie Matuidi and Paul Pogba transfer sagas end up playing out.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram