Mourinho monitoring Pulisic
In desperate need of creativity it’s perhaps no surprise to learn that Manchester United “are in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic”.
So says the Metro with the paper reporting that Jose Mourinho is determined to put one over his former club Chelsea, who have recently been linked with a move for the 20-year-old American in the January transfer window.
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Liverpool were also said to be loitering with intent for Pulisic, but they and the Blues face competition from United.
Dortmund have made it clear they have no intention of selling the American ace in the new year but the Metro says that they will “accept an offer of £70m” in the summer. That’s music to the ears of Mourinho, who will table a bid and bring Pulisic to Old Trafford.
Endgame for Sanchez?
Alexis Sanchez is said to be “raging” at Mourinho after the Chilean striker didn’t even make the substitutes’ bench for the Champions League win over Young Boys on Tuesday, reports the Daily Mirror.
That was the last straw for the Old Trafford flop and the Mirror says the snub has “strengthened” his determination to quit the club in January.
The paper goes so far as to say Sanchez “has told pals he wants to leave Manchester” with Paris Saint-Germain his preferred destination.
De Gea declaration
Meanwhile amid all the excitement of United’s last-gasp win against Young Boys, and their subsequent qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, it wasn’t widely reported what Mourinho had to say about David de Gea.
The Spanish goalkeeper has recently been mooted as a Paris Saint-Germain target, but the United manager confidently declared that the 28-year-old will stay loyal to Old Trafford.
“I know he wants to stay,” said Mourinho, in comments carried by the Daily Mirror. “I know his agent is happy to do what the player wants and I also know that the board wants him to stay and they are working on that. So hopefully, sooner or later, they arrive at a good conclusion.”
Militao on the list
The latest defender said to be on Mourinho’s new year shopping list is Eder Militao and the Daily Express says that the Porto blocker is being lined up to replace Eric Bailly.
Having leaked 21 goals this league season, United are in need of shoring up at the back, and Mourinho believes that the 20-year-old Militao fits the bill.
Not only that but he’s affordable, unlike Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, who apparently is out of financial reach of United.
Mourinho still has contacts at Porto, where he coached in the Noughties, and the Express says he is optimistic that a move can be agreed.
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