MOURINHONHO GOING ALL OUT T TO SNAP UP P MORATA
With Ronaldo unattainable, Jose going all out to snap up Alvaro
LONDON: Manchester United will go all out for Alvaro Morata – with Cristiano Ronaldo ready to make peace with Real Madrid.
Ronaldo wanted to quit believing Real had not backed him over a £ 13mil ( RM71mil) tax fraud charge. But Real chief Florentino Perez cooled the situation after publicly backing him.
With Ronaldo making a U-turn, they will now plough on with their main summer target, Real striker Morata.
Perez said: “We have complete faith that Cristiano has always acted out of good faith because we know what he is like.”
Alarm bells had started to ring at United when they heard Ronaldo wanted out of Madrid and a move back to United eight years after leaving.
But now United have an offer ready of £60mil (RM326mil) for Spain ace Morata, 24, and believe they can land him before they leave for their pre-season tour on July 9. That is paramount for boss Jose Mourinho who wants to work with him while they are at their Los Angeles training camp.
Ex-Juventus star Morata wants away from Real due to his lack of game time.
United desperately need a new striker with Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic having agreed to be released by the club after sustaining a knee injury.
Captain Wayne Rooney is also no longer part of Mourinho’s plans.
United have also been handed a massive boost in their pursuit of James Rodriguez, according to reports in Spain.
Real have apparently accepted a £52.9mil (RM287mil) bid by AC Milan for the Colombian – but Rodriguez has said no as he would prefer a move to Old Trafford. The 25-year-old is likely to be sold this summer having struggled to fit into Zinedine Zidane’s double-winning team.
Paris St Germain and Inter Milan are said to no longer be interested in Rodriguez, who scored 11 goals and added 11 assists last season, such is his determination to move to United.
Spanish website Don Balon claim that Rodriguez has rejected the chance to move to AC Milan, despite Perez being happy with the fee on offer.
They also claim that although United remain in the driving seat to land the Colombian, the English Premier League club have not yet made an offer.
Perez claimed on Spanish radio on Tuesday that no bids have been made for any of his players so far.
He told Onda Cero: “We haven’t received offers for anyone this summer.
“Not Cristiano ( Ronaldo), not (Alvaro) Morata – not James.” Perez wants to recoup a large
€ part of the 80mil (RM383mil) fee Real paid Monaco for Rodriguez in 2014.
Rodriguez started only 13 La Liga games last term and was a peripheral figure as Los Blancos won La Liga and the Champions League.
Premier League rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been linked with a move for Rodriguez.