Manchester United news LIVE updates: All the latest from Old Trafford
Wednesday 28, March
Pogba transfer strategy
Manchester United reportedly chose to pursue deals – with varying success – for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata because of Paul Pogba.
The Red Devils have so far failed to get the best out of Pogba, who cost the club a huge £89million when he arrived from Juventus nearly two years ago.
But the Manchester Evening News claim that is not for a lack of trying.
The MEN say United have chased deals always with the aim of coaxing the best out of their £89m midfield general.
Ibrahimovic, they claim, arrived to sweeten Mino Raiola.
Raiola represents Pogba and the signing of Ibrahimovic ultimately paved the way for the player’s signing.
United then tried to land both Griezmann and Morata last summer.
Both would have enabled Pogba to focus on the simple things in life rather than providing a creative spark.
Yet both men ultimately ended up out of their reach.
Vidal swoop
Manchester United are reportedly willing to offer £42million for Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal.
United will strengthen their midfield in the summer with Michael Carrick retiring at the end of the season and Marouane Fellaini set to leave after failing to agree a new contract.
Mourinho has bemoaned his lack of power in the transfer market comparing to big-spending rivals Man City but according to reports in Chilean newspaper La Cuarta, it appears the United board are ready to back him in his efforts to bolster his squad.
The report says United will offer Vidal a four-year contract worth £12.7m annually.
United’s hopes of signing Vidal could be helped by the fact his agent is Fernando Felicevich.
Felicevich also represents Alexis Sanchez and helped facilitate his move from Arsenal to United in January.
Neymar throws a spanner in the works…
Real Madrid will reportedly abandon plans to sign Manchester United stopper David De Gea if they snare Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain.
Real are set for a summer rebuild at the end of a bitterly disappointing season that has left the Champions League as their only hope of silverware.
And top of their list of transfer targets is Neymar, with a successful raid on PSG considered a distinct possibility by Florentino Perez.
The Real president knows the potential £350m (€400m) investment that would involve would reduce his ability to complete other costly deals though.
And the latest reports from Spain indicate that would come as a huge boost to United’s hopes of keeping hold of De Gea.
According to Don Balon, Real will forget making any other mega-money signings if they manage to nab Neymar from PSG.
And, alongside plans for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, a plot to get De Gea on-board will fall by the wayside.
