Manchester United are planning a summer swoop for Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, claims Metro.
The paper, which has described the the Spanish right-back as a “wantaway Arsenal star”, says the 22-year-old is “determined to quit the Gunners at the end of this season” after seeing how former teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career is flourishing after he made the move to Liverpool in August.
Barcelona were at one time linked to Bellerin, but the Gunners sent them packing. Since then, according to Metro, “Arsenal’s stance has softened and the north London club are willing to entertain bids in the region of £50m”.
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Apparently United have already made contact with Bellerin’s camp and asked to be made aware of any significant developments.
United are expected to face competition from Barcelona, who haven’t given up on Bellerin, and also from Juventus, who’ve been tracking the progress of the young Spanish defender for the past few months.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are ready to make a move for one of Manchester City’s rejects, says the Manchester Evening News. The paper claims that United are “interested in Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred”.
Apparently City passed up the chance to land the 25-year-old Brazilian playmaker in the January transfer window despite months of speculation that the Sky Blues were interested in signing him.
Instead Pep Guardiola decided to go for French central defender Aymeric Laporte, who arrived from Athletic Bilbao in a £57m deal that broke the club record.
Fred’s representatives tried to entice United on deadline day but a move didn’t happen at such a late stage in the window. Now, however, the Manchester Evening News claims that United’s interest in Fred has intensified after their stuttering form saw them crash out of the Champions League and lose what little chance they had of catching City at the top of the table.
With Michael Carrick retiring in May and Marouane Fellaini set to leave on a free transfer this summer, Jose Mourinho has identified Fred as one of his summer targets.
The United boss could also make a move for Napoli’s Italy international Jorginho, says the Manchester Evening News.
Fred, who’s been called into the Brazil squad for their World Cup warm-up matches this month, has won six caps but hasn’t played for three years after serving a doping ban for testing positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide during the 2015 Copa America.
