New Straits Times

UNITED’S RADAR

Mourinho shifts focus to Porto ace as top target Mbappe makes Real his No 1 choice

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MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER United are watching Porto winger Yacine Brahimi with top target Kylian Mbappe of Monaco waiting on a move to Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho is keen to add a world-class left winger in the summer so he can play a 4-3-3 with more attacking penetratio­n after a spate of draws this season.

Algerian internatio­nal Brahimi is regarded as one of the leading wide players in the top European leagues and Porto inserted a £51 million (RM285 million) buy-out clause into the 27-year-old’s contract after he was heavily linked with moves to Liverpool and Arsenal last summer.

Arsenal are also interested in taking teenager Mbappe who will be the hottest property of the transfer window if he decides to leave French football.

Brahimi, who can also play inside, is noted for his dribbling and if United are to pursue their interest further, there would be question marks over the future of Anthony Martial who has impressed in patches this season without winning the full trust of Mourinho.

United could sign up to five players this summer with Burnley’s Michael Keane seen as a replacemen­t for Chris Smalling and Mourinho also in the market for a central midfield player, winger and two strikers, one of whom would take on the talisman No 9 role vacated by the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovi­c. Daily Mail

 ?? REUTERS PIC ?? Huddersfie­ld’s Nahki Wells (right) and Sheffield Wednesday’s Barry Bannan vie for the ball at the John Smith’s Stadium yesterday.
REUTERS PIC Huddersfie­ld’s Nahki Wells (right) and Sheffield Wednesday’s Barry Bannan vie for the ball at the John Smith’s Stadium yesterday.

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