Man Utd transfer news: Mourinho loses patience with Inter over Perisic deal

Manchester United's Mexican standoff with Inter Milan has ended with the Red Devils blinking first, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The two clubs had been facing each other down over Ivan Perisic with United looking to exploit the Italian club's financial woes. Inter have until the end of today to break even for the financial year ending June 30, otherwise they will be in breach of Uefa's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

One way to raise cash to keep the Uefa wolves at bay was to sell Perisic but United have steadfastly refused to meet their €60 million (£52.6 million) asking price. Instead they offered Inter a mere €32 million (£28 million) for the Croatian playmaker, which the DT claims "irked" the Italians.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

They were prepared to drop their valuation to £44m but still United refused to play ball, confident that Inter would crack in the end. But the Telegraph claims that the Italian outfit have had the last laugh by selling midfielder Ever Banega to Sevilla for £8m and offloading frontman Gianluca Caprari to Sampdoria for around £11m.

Finally Inter will raise another €8 million by selling Jonathan Biabiany, George Puscas or Andrea Ranocchia to Genoa, allowing them to hang on to Perisic, which has been dream all along.

Meanwhile the Daily Express reports that United will "demand at least £60 million" from Barcelona if they make a move for Ander Herrera. The Spanish winger enjoyed a fine season under Jose Mourinho last term and it's claimed that the Red Devils are determined not to lose their playmaker.

The trouble is Barcelona's new coach is Ernesto Valverde and he tutored Herrera when they were at Athletic Bilbao. According to the Express Valverde is "interested in taking him to Barcelona" and the Spanish report say he has Herrera as top of his summer wishlist. The Daily Mirror also carry the story but add that the Catalan club will only move for the 27-year-old United man if "they fail to land Marco Verratti from Paris Saint-Germain".

He remains Barca's top target but PSG are refusing to negotiate and if they don't soften their stance then they will zero in on Herrera with the Express saying United might be prepared to do business if a bid in the region of £35m lands on Mourinho's desk.

Man Utd transfer news: £60m battle to sign James Rodriguez

6 June

The battle to sign Real Madrid reject James Rodriguez is now a straight fight between Inter Milan and Manchester United, says The Sun.

Apparently the two clubs "have started talks" with the European champions, who are ready to sell the 25-year-old Colombian playmaker. But he won't come cheap with Real "holding out for £60m", despite the fact he's been little more than a bit-part player at the Bernabeu this season.

The attacking midfielder has struggled for game time under Zinedine Zidane and he didn't even make it to the bench for Saturday's Champions League final against Juventus.

Reports at the weekend suggested Rodriguez had "rejected a move to Inter Milan to join the Red Devils", but French broadcaster RMC Sport says that the Italian club are still in the hunt and if they can meet Real's £60m asking price they could still beat United to Rodriguez.

Meanwhile the Daily Express reports that Jose Mourinho is refusing to confirm that he still intends to make a move for Victor Lindelof this summer. The Benfica defender was heavily linked to Old Trafford in January but a deal for the 22-year-old fell through at the last moment. Asked whether he will try again to sign Lindelof in the coming months, Mourinho said: "I will not say if I want him or not… Rui [Vitoria, Benfica manager] is not going to be happy with another club manager talking about a player who is his."

Finally, the Daily Mirror reports that Bayern Munich have joined United and Chelsea in the pursuit of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian is one of three frontman names on Mourinho's wishlist, the others being Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata and Torino's Andrea Belotti, but according to the Mirror the German champions are increasingly confident of signing Lukaku with manager Carlo Ancelotti said to be "a long-time admirer".

Man Utd transfer news: Griezmann deal off, £100m for Mbappe

5 June

Kylian Mbappe is at the centre of a love triangle with Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid all competing for the favours of the French sensation.

The 18-year-old was hugely influential as Monaco reached the last four of the Champions League and also won the French league, and according to The Sun he's "expected to set a new world transfer record if he leaves France".

But where will he go? Arsenal are reportedly lining up a £95m offer having failed last week with an initial bid of £87m, while Real Madrid have also added Mbappe to their summer shopping list.

But the Sun says that United are "interested in smashing the world-record transfer fee they set last year" with a £100m bid now that Antoine Griezmann has officially given them the brush off, as reported by the BBC.

That would exceed the amount they paid for Paul Pogba and the Sun says that while United fear Real may be favourites to sign Mbappe on account of their status as European champions, the Red Devils haven't given up hope of winning the chase.

What may give them an outside chance of signing Mbappe is that they can offer him regular game time at Old Trafford whereas he's likely to get only limited opportunities at the star-studded Real.

Meanwhile The Sun says that United are about to offer Ander Herrera a new deal, one that will net him £180,000-a-week over the next four years. Apparently it's to "ward off Barcelona interest" with the Spanish club eager to sign Herrera as they look to rebuild after a disappointing season. The Spanish midfielder, who this season received the club's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, will see his current modest wages of £90,000 a week doubled by United in the belief that will scupper any chance Barcelona have of luring Herrera to the Camp Nou.

Finally, the Daily Mail says that United are more ready to talk when it comes to David de Gea with Real Madrid still desperate to sign the goalkeeper. Apparently they are ready to listen to what the European champs have to say, but the Mail says United are unlikely to take any offers under £80m seriously.

Real want de Gea as a replacement for Keylor Navas and Jose Mourinho will sanction a sale but "only if he has a suitable replacement lined up".

Betfair - new customer offer - bet £10 and get £10 in free bets

Man Utd transfer news: Kane and Lacazette are new targets

2 June

Manchester United's plans of signing Antoine Griezmann are all but dead following Fifa's decision to uphold Atletico Madrid's transfer ban and that could spell bad news for Tottenham.

For according to the Manchester Evening News, United have now turned their attention to Harry Kane and Jose Mourinho is said to be determined to prise the England goal machine from White Hart Lane.

Describing the 23-year-old Kane as the man who "can revitalise United for the next challenge", the MEN says that his age makes him the dream signing for United who want to start putting in place the foundations for long-term success. While appreciating that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy "is a notoriously tough negotiator", United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward nonetheless "fancies his chances" of persuading Tottenham to sell Kane although it's likely the fee would be in the region of £100m.

Then again, the Daily Mirror claims it's not Tottenham who should be worried but Arsenal, with Mourinho now on the tail of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette. The Gunners have long been linked with the French frontman who comes with a £50m valuation, but according to the Mirror United will "outbid any rivals in terms of wages" and are confident of pipping the Gunners to the hand of Lacazette.

Man Utd transfer news: Matic and Lukaku set for Old Trafford

1 June

Manchester United's hopes of landing Nemanja Matic this summer appear to rest on Chelsea's pursuit of Monaco star Tiemoue Bakayoko, reports Metro.

The paper says that the Premier League champs are in discussions with the French title holders over a deal for the defensive midfielder. And according to Metro, if the move is agreed then the Blues are expected to listen to offers for Matic as his role at Stamford Bridge would be seriously reduced.

It's no secret that Jose Mourinho has his eye on Serbian star Matic, who he knows from his time in charge of the Blues, and apparently the player "is believed to be keen on reuniting with his former boss".

So keen, in fact, that The Independent goes so far as to say that preliminary talks between Matic and the Red Devils are underway with the Serb confident a deal can be agreed.

The man who calls himself the "superagent" has been spilling the beans about the futures of Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Daily Star reports that Mino Raiola has told Everton to expect imminent bids for Lukaku with the paper saying that United and Chelsea are both "keen".

The 24-year-old Belgian striker is reportedly ready to move on to bigger and better things and it was claimed last month that Everton are believed to want £100m for the marksman even though Toffees gaffer Ronald Koeman has said Lukaku isn't for sale.

That's not how Raiola sees it, however, with the agent saying: "Lukaku had a promise that if certain clubs came this summer that he could leave. We are not in concrete talks with anybody at this moment, but hearing the market I think some clubs will contact Everton."

According to the Star the Red Devils "will offer Lukaku in excess of £200,000-a-week" with Jose Mourinho confident the club's relationship with Raiola, who brokered moves last year for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan "will give them an advantage".

As for Ibrahimovic, currently recovering from a serious knee injury, Raiola expressed his hope that United will extend his contract for another season despite his incapacitation for the rest of the year. "He wants to stay at the top, and he can be a valuable asset," said the agent. "There are offers from some great other top clubs. But I think it is respectful to talk to Manchester United and to see what all parties want."

Man Utd transfer news: Griezmann deal to be done by July

31 May

It's already shaping up as the drawn-out transfer saga of the summer and the Daily Telegraph is one of several papers to give a progress report on the "will he-won't-he", "how-long-is-all-this-going-to-last" move of Antoine Griezmann to Old Trafford.

According to the paper United "will have to pay £87m" to sign the Frenchman with Atletico Madrid having been informed by the Gallic goalscorer that he wants to leave this summer. But while Atletico are prepared to sell their star player they are insisting on United meeting their £87m asking price.

That will put the pressure on the Red Devils board to get a deal done quickly, says the Telegraph, because Jose Mourinho wants Griezmann "in place for when the club go to the United States on 9 July for the start of their pre-season tour".

And another La Liga ace likely to be heading to Old Trafford in the coming weeks is Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez.

Apparently the Spanish giants are ready to offload the South American after he failed to force his way into Zinedine Zidane's starting XI, and the Manchester Evening News - quoting Spanish outlet Don Balon - says his agent agent Jorge Mendes "is doing everything he can to facilitate a move to Old Trafford".

The paper goes on to say that Rodriguez has "already agreed to join United" but for the moment the English club is refusing to meet Real's £70m asking price.