Arsenal boosted by Mustafi injury update
MANCHESTER United are confident of completing the signing of Bruno Fernandes after making a significant breakthrough in talks last night.
United are now close to finalising an initial €55m (£46.6m) deal for the Sporting midfielder, subject to personal terms and a medical, with an additional €10m (£8.5m) in add-ons.
The add-ons are understood to relate to Champions League qualification and Fernandes’ number of club appearances.
A further €15m (£12.7m) in add-ons will be paid to Sporting if Fernandes achieves certain individual milestones during his time at United.
Negotiations for Fernandes were protracted due to United’s unwillingness to meet Sporting’s demand for an €80m (£67m) fee up front.
United are now confident that they have secured a structured deal which reflects the player’s true value, with Sporting likely to receive €65m (£55m) total.
Fernandes is expected to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract at Old Trafford, tying him down to United until at least the summer of 2024.
The Portugal international will fly to Manchester to undergo a medical later this week to complete his signing before Friday’s winter transfer deadline.
Fernandes offers under-pressure manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer much-needed cover in midfield following injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
But Solskjaer will also hope he brings goals. Fernandes has scored 15 goals in 28 appearances for a struggling Sporting side this season, having notched 32 in 53 games last season.
United, who have tracked Fernandes since 2015, now appear to be getting their man — a player Solskjaer had been coy about ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
“I haven’t got any updates for you on transfers,” Solskjaer said with a laugh yesterday morning. “I think it was a waste (of a question) — I gave you the option (not to ask it)! I haven’t got anything to say now. My mind is just on the game.”
United are looking for an attacker as well as a midfielder, so Alexis Sanchez would have been a welcome option at this point, despite his struggles since his high-profile switch from Arsenal in January 2018.
And while the Old Trafford giants did not include a recall clause in his season-long loan deal to Inter Milan, Solskjaer expects him to have a future at the club when he returns in the summer.
“We’ve got players here we’re working hard to get back as well and if there is something out
LAST NIGHT’S RESULTS Carabao Cup Semi-final Second Leg
Aston Villa 2 Leicester City 1
(Agg: 3-2)
Sky Bet Championship
Blackburn 2 QPR 1 Brentford 0 Nottingham Forest 1
Cardiff City 2 West Brom 1 Hull City 1 Huddersfield Town 2
Leeds United 3 Millwall 2 Luton Town 3 Derby County 2 Wigan Athletic 2 Sheffield Weds 1
Reading 0 Bristol City 1
Sky Bet League One
AFC Wimbledon 2 Burton Albion 2 Accrington Stanley 0 Peterborough 2 Doncaster Rovers 3 Southend Utd 1
there, then the club are pursuing that and looking at it,” the United boss said.
“It is a difficult window. I can’t remember how many good ones we’ve brought in, in January. Henrik (Larsson) was good, Nemanja (Vidic) and Patrice
Fleetwood Town 0 Coventry City 0
Lincoln City 0 Portsmouth 2 Milton Keynes Dons 2 Rochdale 1 Rotherham United 1 Ipswich Town 0 Bolton Wanderers 1 Bristol Rovers 1
Sky Bet League Two
Bradford City 1 Cheltenham Town 1 Cambridge United 0 Salford City 4 Colchester United 3 Swindon Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 2 Leyton Orient 0 Forest Green Rovers 1 Carlisle Utd 4
Grimsby Town 3 Stevenage 1 Newport Co 1 Macclesfield Town 0 Northampton Tn 3 Scunthorpe Utd 0 Oldham Athletic 3 Mansfield Town 1 Plymouth Argyle 2 Crawley Town 2 Port Vale 3 Exeter City 1 Walsall 0 Morecambe 2
(Evra) were two good ones.”
When Sanchez was mentioned, Solskjaer said: “It’s very hard because the clubs don’t want to lose their best players. Alexis will come back and prove you all wrong.”
There continues to be talk
Danske Bank Premiership
Glentoran 4 Glenavon 0
Larne 3 Linfield 1
Bluefin Sport Championship
Ards 1 H&W Welders 2
TONIGHT’S FIXTURES (7.45pm unless stated) Carabao Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Man City v Man Utd (Agg: 3-1)
Premier League
West Ham United v Liverpool
Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership
Rangers v Ross County St Johnstone v Celtic
Sky Bet League One
Gillingham v Shrewsbury Town Tranmere Rovers v Sunderland
about outgoings, with Marcos Rojo linked to former club Estudiantes having not played for two-and-a-half months.
Asked if he could leave, Solskjaer said: “I wouldn’t think so. Marcos has been injured and has been working to get back.”
Shkodran Mustafi’s injury is not as bad as Arsenal feared with the defender suffering a sprained ankle during Monday night’s FA Cup fourthround win at Bournemouth.
The 27-year-old has been enjoying something of a revival of his Gunners career of late and was one of the best players on the pitch before being taken off on a stretcher just after the hour in a 2-1 victory.
But, after scans and checks yesterday, the injury was revealed to be an ankle sprain and not any damage to ligaments — meaning he will be out for weeks, not months.
Mustafi has started the last three games and impressed at the Vitality Stadium before being replaced by Rob Holding.
He made an error which led to Chelsea’s opener and a red card for David Luiz in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge last week but then put in a solid display.