Courtois cool on United
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has reportedly turned down a move to Manchester United as part of a “potential swap deal” with David de Gea.
The Daily Mirror says that since the return of Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid the La Liga giants are desperate to get their mitts on United’s Spanish No.1 De Gea.
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However, their hopes of an exchange have come unstuck because Belgian stopper Courtois doesn’t wish to return to the Premier League.
Courtois, 26, quit Chelsea last year in acrimonious circumstances and it appears that he has no desire to leave Madrid for Manchester.
Real for their part are keen to finally land De Gea after being linked with the 28-year-old for several seasons. The gossip went quiet once Zidane left last May, but since he has come back to the Bernabeu the word is he wants De Gea as his priority signing this summer.
The Mirror claims that Courtois - who recently lost his place between the sticks to Keylor Navas - has told Real that if he is to be offloaded he would only be prepared to go to Paris Saint-Germain.
Duel for Dybala
United will have to fight rivals Manchester City for the hand of Paulo Dybala. Metro reports that the Juventus frontman is likely to be sold in the summer after a disappointing season in Turin.
The Argentine has scored just four Serie A goals in 25 appearances but it’s his form in the Champions League - five goals in seven games - that has caught the eye of the Manchester clubs.
Real Madrid are also interested in the services of the 25-year-old but Italian publication Corriere dello Sport claims that Juve are demanding £102m for Dybala.
That could be too much for Madrid, who have been linked with a big money swoop for Neymar and Eden Hazard, while United might also baulk at the figure.
City are serious in their pursuit of Dybala with Pep Guardiola regarding him as a ready-made replacement for fellow Argentine striker Sergio Aguero, 30.
Rashford future uncertain
Finally, The Sun says that United are “ready to trigger a 12-month extension for Marcus Rashford” if talks over a new five-year contract don’t produce a breakthrough.
The 21-year-old England striker has been bang in form since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as caretaker manager in December.
United have been in discussions with Rashford’s agents for weeks but the Sun says they are “growing frustrated with a lack of progress”.
As a consequence United will activate a year’s extension to keep Rashford tied to the club until 2020, while pressing on with talks in the hope of getting him to sign a new five-year deal worth £180,000-a-week.
