It promises to continue being a very exciting summer transfer window at Manchester United, with plenty of comings and goings. Who will be the next to join Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant as new arrivals this summer?
Who will be heading out the Old Trafford door? Let’s take a spin through the latest transfer rumors and gossip making the rounds on the internet today.
United are trying to help and ease the scoring burden that striker Romelu Lukaku is currently carrying on his back.
The Daily Express reports that manager Jose Mourinho is targeting Mario Mandzukic of Juventus as a strong backup to the Belgian. Both men are currently through to the World Cup elite eight with Lukaku and Belgium tangling with Brazil on Friday, while Mandzukic and Croatia clash with Russia on Saturday.
So if any deal with Juve is to be done, it will likely have to wait until Mandzukic has completed his international duty this summer.
ESPN FC add that “Juventus’ interest in United full-back Matteo Darmian could also be a good negotiating chip, with the Italian keen on a return to Serie A.” United are willing to part with Darmian, as well as Daley Blind, but reportedly not for cheap.
–Nabil Fekir nearly made a £53 million move to Liverpool this summer, as he even completed a medical with the Anfield club. However, it didn’t go through, and there’s talk that he could end up staying at Lyon. Or he could move to Liverpool still; or United possibly as he’s been linked to Old Trafford too.
Confused? Yes, so are we. Here’s what his manager Bruno Genesio had to say on the situation (get ready to have even less clarity on the situation)
“He has expressed his desire to play at another level,” Genesio told reporters. “We will need to set a date.
“If there is a possibility like with Liverpool, Nabil will certainly seize the opportunity, once both parties agree. I am working under the assumption that he will stay with us.
“He wants to take the next step. The president has offered him the chance to leave. We will see after the World Cup. If Nabil is here, it makes my job easier. I would be happy to keep him. I think he is looking at two possibilities: To stay to play the Champions League with us or to leave to join a bigger club.”
Ok, so he’ll either leave, or stay. Got it. Thanks for the update!
-Fabinho, the Brazilian defensive midfielder who moved to Liverpool from Monaco for £43.7 million this summer revealed that he was never close to joining Manchester United. He never even received an offer from the Old Trafford outfit.
“I was never close to signing for Manchester United, no,” he told FourFourTwo magazine.
“I heard things said about it, but the truth is it was never a strong possibility. I won’t deny there were a few conversations about my situation with Monaco, but there was never an official offer from United.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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