TOBY OR NOT TOBY?
AKRAM AND BUTTLER BACK LANCS NEW BOY /P49
UNITED are still in talks with Tottenham over Toby Alderweireld as they attempt to secure a central defensive signing on deadline day.
The Reds want to sign principal target Alderweireld or Leicester’s Harry Maguire to reinforce their defensive spine before the Premier League transfer window closes at 5pm today.
Marcos Rojo is on standby to be sold – amid interest from Everton – in the event that the club manages to sign one of the World Cup semi-finalists.
Manager Jose Mourinho stressed last month he wants two more signings amid interest in a forward, but that is highly unlikely as United refuse to consider selling Anthony Martial.
Mourinho is open to jettisoning the Frenchman, who was not restored to the squad against Bayern Munich on Sunday after leaving the pre-season tour to attend the birth of his son.
However, the Reds’ board want to retain 22-year-old Martial, having invested up to £58m in him three years ago.
United have resisted deadline day dealings in Mourinho’s previous two summers but the World Cup and early window closure for Premier League clubs have partly contributed to their 11th-hour activity.
Martial was the last deadline day addition United made in 2015.
Tension has mounted between Mourinho and the Old Trafford board over the club’s failure to clinch their priority targets in a shorter market.
United have spent just £73.2m on three signings. Liverpool have recruited four new players at a cost of £176.7m.
Meanwhile, United have no plans to sell Paul Pogba amid intense speculation over a move to Barcelona.
Pogba, 25, reported for pre-season training at the club’s Carrington training complex on Monday and his return coincided with reports Barcelona had offered United £45m plus defender Yerry Mina and midfielder Andre Gomes for the Frenchman.
United will resist any attempt to sell Pogba ahead of the Premier League transfer window’s closure, although the Spain window is open until August 31 and Barca could submit more credible offers before their own deadline.
Matteo Darmian could still leave United but is poised to stay beyond the Premier League deadline. Darmian has generated interest from Serie A clubs Juventus, Napoli and Internazionale and the Italian transfer deadline is next Friday. Timothy Fosu-Mensah could also head out on another season-long loan.
United special: Pages 53-55 CITY are expecting an entire squad of superstars at their gates on transfer deadline day as Pep Guardiola prepares his players for their Premier League opener with Arsenal.
But anyone hoping for transfer activity may be disappointed, with neither significant ins nor outs planned for the last day of summer business.
City completed their only major signing in July when Riyad Mahrez arrived from Leicester for £60m. They had also hoped to sign a midfielder, but after the collapse of a deal for Jorginho that aim was shelved.
Reports of interest in Miralem Pjanic, Marco Verratti, Thiago Alcantara and Julian Weigl have only seen reiterations of that view as they have cropped up and City are still not interest in spending a sizeable chunk of money on a big-name midfielder. And while the club have been looking for a more low-key signing in that position, it does not look like anything will materialise.
In terms of outgoings, Aleks Zinchenko is set to leave with a medical at Wolves expected at some point today.
Jason Denayer, Eliaquim Mangala, Patrick Roberts, Brahim Diaz and Lukas Nmecha could all still leave the club - either permanently or on loan deals.
City can still sell or send players on loan to clubs outside of the English top flight until August 31, which is when the European window closes.
City special: Pages 50-52