Mourinho fears United will miss out
Jose Mourinho is increasingly worried that Manchester United will not sign the central defender he has been demanding before the transfer window closes today.
According to sources, at least one bid, possibly as high as £60 million (NZ$115m) for Harry Maguire has been rejected by Leicester City, who remain adamant they have no intention of selling the England international who has four more years on his contract.
Maguire will not push for a move to United, even though Leicester are close to signing two new central defenders in Filip Benkovic, from Dynamo Zagreb, and Freiburg’s Caglar Soyuncu – who, at one point, was of interest to United also – for combined fees of £33.5 million.
With the English Premier League starting this weekend, Jerome Boateng remains a possibility for United, given he has been put up for sale by Bayern Munich, although the Old Trafford club would prefer to arrange a loan with an option to buy.
There are concerns about the 29-year-old’s injury record and why Bayern, who have been asking for €50 million ($86m), are prepared to sell the German international. Boateng has not ruled out the move but it is believed he regards a loan as a sign that United are not committed to him.
As yet, United have not made an offer for Toby Alderweireld and sources insist that Tottenham Hotspur have not set a valuation for the 29-year-old, even though there has been an understanding that he is for sale.
Due to the terms of his contract, the Belgium international will be available for £25 million next summer.
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 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, and executive vicechairman Ed Woodward, in particular, who oversees transfers, on a collision course with Mourinho.
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.
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.