Courtois leaves Chelsea for Real
The fourth defender under consideration has been Yerry Mina. The Colombian international has been offered to United by Barcelona, who have been looking to cash in on the 23-year-old following his strong performances at the World Cup.
Mina has been of interest to Everton and French club Lyon but United have been put off by the associated costs of the deal – escalating agent fees and so on – even more than the £30 millionplus fee being demanded by Barcelona.
Despite Mourinho’s insistence that United need a new centrehalf and, in particular, one who is comfortable in possession and wants to bring the ball forward, the club are adamant they will only buy if they can improve on their current squad. That could be a source of conflict with the manager.
A complication for Mourinho is that United have invested heavily in the past two summers on players in that position: bringing in Eric Bailly for £30m from Villarreal and then, last year, Victor Lindelof for £31m from Benfica.
In addition, they still have the England pair of Phil Jones and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is set to join Real Madrid in a deal that will see midfielder Mateo Kovacic move to the London club on a seasonlong loan.
Chelsea said yesterday that the two clubs ‘‘have agreed terms for the permanent transfer of Thibaut Courtois subject to the agreement of personal terms and passing a medical. Subject to the completion of the deal Mateo Kovacic will join the Blues on a season-long loan’’.
Real Madrid confirmed Courtois was to undergo a medical
Chris Smalling, plus Marcos Rojo, and while the Argentine international is up for sale – and has also been offered to Everton for £30 million – he will be let go only if a replacement is signed. Even so, it appears Rojo is reluctant to leave.
United are not ruling out a deadline-day signing but the noises coming out of Old Trafford yesterday suggested that was less likely and that the club were determined not to pay over the odds in desperation.
This could place the hierarchy, last night before signing six-year deal. The
Belgium goalkeeper was the winner of the
Golden Glove award at the
Russia 2018
Fifa World
Cup.
Madrid’s starting goalkeeper has been Keylor Navas, who helped the club win the last a
and executive vicechairman Ed Woodward, in particular, who oversees transfers, on a collision course with Mourinho who will give a press conference the day before United’s first Premier League match of the new season, at home to Leicester City.
Mourinho repeatedly warned on United’s pre-season tour to the United States that they would have a difficult season unless they added at least one more player – and hopefully two with a right-winger also wanted. three Champions League titles. But the club has been linked with a new goalkeeper in most recent transfer windows, and tried to sign David De Gea from Manchester United in 2015 only to miss the deadline. Last season, Madrid reportedly also tried to sign Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who now is expected to join Chelsea as Courtois’ replacement.
Courtois had stayed away from Chelsea’s training ground this week as he tried to force through a move.
The priority for him was a central defender and he will argue that he made it clear to United at the end of last season that he wanted his team strengthened in this area if they are to compete.
United have spent £67.5 million already this summer on midfielder Fred, the exciting fullback Diogo Dalot and reserve goalkeeper Lee Grant, and insist that they have no intention of selling Paul Pogba.
Sources close to Pogba have denied he is demanding a pay rise at United.