Man Utd transfer news: Breel Embolo deal held up by his mum
17 June
Mum's the word as far as Swiss teenager Breel Embolo is concerned, with Talksport reporting that his move to Manchester United is being held up because "his mum is still not sure" if they're the right club for her boy.
The broadcaster says that Red Devils gaffer Jose Mourinho "is working hard to convince the Basel hotshot to join his Old Trafford revolution", but carries the claims of German rag Bild which says that Mrs Embolo isn't sure Manchester is good enough for young Breel, despite the fact that they have reportedly offered the 19-year-old a £4m-a-year salary to join them.
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Since breaking into the Basel side, Embolo has established himself as one of the most exciting teenage talents in Europe but Bild says his mum, Germaine, would rather he move to the footballing powerhouse that is Leipzig.
Talking of Germany, Sky Sports says that Wolfsburg winger Julian Draxler is the latest player to be linked with United. Reports from Germany state the 22-year-old is "not fully committed" to honouring the five-year deal he penned last summer when he moved from Schalke 04. That may be because he's heard rumours that Mourinho is on his tail, though Sky Sports predicts that if the Red Devils do want Draxler it will cost them a "big transfer fee".
Man Utd transfer news: £95m Paul Pogba deal could happen
15 June
Manchester United fans should keep a close eye on France midfielder Paul Pogba tonight when he plays against Albania because, according to Talksport, it could be a taste of what is to come at Old Trafford next season.
Apparently United "are considering whether to reignite their interest" in the 23-year-old playmaker, four years after selling him to Juventus. Though Real Madrid have made all the running recently for Pogba, Talksport says the Spanish giants are undecided whether to meet Juve's world record asking price of £95m.
Spanish rag AS says that Real are "reluctant" to pay more for Pogba than they did for Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, and consequently that "may open the door for Jose Mourinho". The Special One tried to sign Pogba during his time in charge of Chelsea and Talksport claims he "would love nothing more than beating his old club Real to the Frenchman's signature".
One signature that Mourinho may not see for a few more weeks is that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The gangly goal machine is widely expected to join the Red Devils after the Euros but Sky Sports News says the two parties are trying to agree on the best time to have a medical. That, claims Sky, is "the last remaining hurdle before he signs a one-year contract at Old Trafford". At the moment United are "relaxed" about finding a time to have their quack run an eye over Ibrahimovic but understandably the club don't want to commit to anything until after the Euros in case the 34-year-old Swedish striker is "injured whilst on international duty".
But perhaps United might not be so relaxed once they read the Daily Mirror, and their assertion that Bayern Munich are positioning themselves for an audacious 11th hour swoop for the Swede.
Apparently new Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti , who coached Ibrahimovic at Paris Saint Germain, is "understood to want a reunion with the Sweden captain". The German media even say that Bayern have "made an approach" to Ibrahimovic as they begin looking for someone to fill the boots of Robert Lewandowski.
The Pole is reportedly close to agreeing terms with Real Madrid and Bayern want Ibrahimovic as his replacement, with the German champions confident that the Swede will choose them over United because of the lure of Champions League football next season. What's more, says the Mirror, Bayern, like United, are "willing to match his £200,000-a-week wage demands".
Man Utd transfer news: Olympic threat to Ibrahimovic deal
13 June
It's never plain sailing as far as Zlatan Ibrahimovic goes, and The Sun says that United's pursuit of the stringy Swedish sharpshooter "has hit another snag as the striker wants to represent Sweden at the Olympics".
Apparently Swedish boss Hakan Ericson wants the 34-year-old veteran to be one of the allotted three players over the age of 23 in his squad, and Ibrahimovic quite fancies the idea of adding an Olympic medal to his trophy cabinet. If such a scenario unfolds, it would mean Zlatan misses the first few weeks of the Premier League season as they clash with the Games in Rio.
The Sun says that United boss Jose Mourinho has offered Ibrahimovic "a one-year deal worth a reported £250,000-a-week" but he has yet to sign anything and this latest news will further muddy the waters.
Also unclear is the future of United goalkeeper David de Gea, who has been at the centre of some unsavoury allegations over the weekend. The Manchester Evening News reports that Real Madrid "have until Wednesday" to activate De Gea's Manchester United release clause and if they fail to do so he'll be obliged to stay at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard was set to move to the Bernabeu ten months ago but the deal collapsed on transfer deadline day. Rumours have persisted that Real would return this summer for De Gea but if they do wish to trigger his "special exit clause", then they have to act this week.
Man Utd transfer news: Breel Embolo and Nani on the radar
10 June
Basel are set for a brush with Jose Mourinho as goes after young striker Breel Embolo, according to The Sun, which says the Manchester United manager is poised to pounce for 19-year-old frontman.
The Swiss sharpshooter scored 13 goals last season and German media claimed recently he had knocked back a £21m offer from Wolfsburg. But according to Swiss papers, "contact has been made between the Cameroon-born star’s representatives and Old Trafford".
The teenager is known to have been scouted by Tottenham and Borussia Monchengladbach but Mourinho's interest is likely to leave Embolo flattered. As the Sun points out, the youngster "may not be a household name in England" but United fans will get the chance to watch him in action for Switzerland in the European Championships.
At the other end of the age scale, the official Manchester United website has announced that Michael Carrick has extended his stay at Old Trafford until June 2017. Rumours were rife earlier in the year that the 34-year-old would be forced out of the club he's served for ten years but that was before Mourinho arrived.
In disclosing the news, the United manager said: "Michael is a very intelligent midfielder and a great reader of the game... that knowledge will be invaluable to me. I am really looking forward to working with him."
Finally, Caughtoffside.com claims that the Turkish media are daring to suggest that United are "attempting to re-sign Nani" less than 12 months after allowing him to depart for Fenerbahce. It's even reported that personal terms have been agreed with the former winger who is set to return to the club now that Louis van Gaal is no more.
Caughtoffside reports that Mourinho is a fan of his fellow Portuguese and all that remains is to agree a fee with United apparently "unwilling to meet his £6m release clause".
Man Utd transfer news: Juventus raid for Morata and Pogba
09 June
Jose Mourinho is ready to "sabotage" Chelsea and Arsenal's dreams of signing Alvaro Morata, possibly the most in demand player of the summer. That is according to The Sun, which reports that the Special One is prepared to offer Juventus £47m in return for the 23-year-old sharpshooter.
Mourinho nurtured Morata during his time in charge of Real Madrid and the Sun claims the pair "could be reunited" next season. Spanish rag Marca says the United manager is determined to sign the Spain striker ahead of Blues boss Antonio Conte while Arsene Wenger is not expected to up his initial offer of £28m for Morato.
And according to The Guardian Morata might not be the only player winging his way from Juventus to Old Trafford in the coming months. The paper says that Manchester City have dropped out of the race to sign Paul Pogba and that has "left the way open for Manchester United".
Rumours have been gathering pace in recent weeks that Mourinho was stalking the France midfielder and the news that Pep Guardiola has decided to end his interest in the 23-year-old makes United firm favourites. However, the Daily Mirror predicts that if Mourinho wants to sign Pogba he will have to pay a British transfer fee record £78m - which as the paper explains is "nearly 100 times the amount of compensation United received from Juventus" when Pogba left Old Trafford in 2012, frustrated at lack of first-team opportunities under Alex Ferguson.
Bad news for United fans as far as Antoine Griezmann goes with the Sun reporting that the France frontman - currently limbering up for tomorrow's match against Romania in the Euros - has "signed on for another five years at Atletico Madrid". The 25-year-old has been linked with United and Chelsea this year but French sports daily L'Equipe says the new deal with Atletico will put paid to the rumours once and for all.
Finally Caughtoffside says that Matteo Darmian and Juan Mata "could be sold by the club this summer" as Mourinho prepares to take an axe to the underperforming squad. Midfielder Mata in particular is at risk, having been dropped by Mourinho during his time at Chelsea, and it seems that Juventus are interested in the Spaniard and may offer Morata in exchange.
Man Utd transfer news: £30m for Eric Bailly, taxi for Memphis Depay
8 June
While Jose Mourinho was in Croydon on Tuesday being nice to Eva Carneiro, Eric Bailly was reportedly in Manchester undergoing a medical ahead of what The Sun says is his imminent "£30m move from Villarreal".
The 22-year-old Ivory Coast defender has been on Mourinho's wishlist ever since he was appointed the new Red Devils boss last month and a deal is expected to be officially announced on Friday. Described by the Sun as a "fast and powerfully-built presence" in the Villarreal defence, Bailly is regarded by Mourinho as an ideal partner for England blocker Chris Smalling in the heart of the United back-four.
Meanwhile the Sun says that while Bailly was jetting into Manchester, shipping out was Memphis Depay - or to be more precise, his fleet of fancy cars. Last month the Dutch frontman sent his £250,000 Rolls Royce Raith back to Holland and on Tuesday he "followed suit with his £100,000 Mercedes G Wagon and £20,000 Scorpion Trike". And this, says the paper, is proof that Depay is "on the Old Trafford scrapheap" with a move back to PSV the likeliest outcome.
Finally Caughtoffside says that United, Chelsea and Manchester City are all battling for Juventus and Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci. The 29-year-old is one of the most sought-after centre-halves in Europe and former his former Juve boss Antonio Conte, now at Chelsea, is said by Italian rag La Stampa to be favourite to land Bonucci.
However, Mourinho and Man City gaffer Pep Guardiola are also anxious to land the defender. The Italian champions are reluctant to entertain the idea of selling one of their most reliable performers but the financial power of the Premier League trio "could test Juve's resolve" in the weeks ahead.
Man Utd transfer news: Zlatan Ibrahimovic eyes coaching role
07 June
Euro 2016 starts in a couple of days but that will not be enough to upstage Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker has promised to drop "the bomb of the summer" today – and most people expect that to be the announcement he has signed for Manchester United.
A deal was close at the weekend, reports The Guardian, with the Swede's salary agreed and the move "hinging on talks between the striker and the club's new manager, Jose Mourinho". The only stumbling block was Ibrahimovic's role in the team. "The Swede is not interested in being a back-up striker as he nears the end of his career" and wants to play an important role in next season's campaign, says the paper.
In another clue to his destination, Ibrahimovic told Guardian fashion editor Morwenna Ferrier that Mourinho was "cool". He was speaking ahead of the launch of his new fashion label, which is expected to coincide with the announcement about his deal at Old Trafford.
But could Ibrahimovic be using the United link to ensure publicity for his clothing brand? As website Sport Witness notes: "If there hadn't been the Manchester United circus around Ibrahimovic then there'd be far fewer people eager to watch him launch his own brand."
Stringing the media along will not work forever, however, it adds. "Given he's left the Sweden camp, it'd make some sense to complete his Manchester United move before he returns... otherwise it could all drag out until after Euro 2016."
Even more intriguingly are reports in France that there has been wrangling over the length of the United deal and that "Ibrahimovic increasingly sees himself as managing soon and he may want to be Jose Mourinho's assistant in a year".
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