TERMINATED!
Fans force United into embarrassing Arnie deal U-turn
MANCHESTER UNITED have abandoned their bid for Marko Arnautovic in the face of a backlash from fans, but are close to signing Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in a £19.5million deal.
Arnautovic emerged as a shock target for United over the weekend as new manager Erik ten Hag looks to strengthen his attack before the transfer window closes.
United saw Arnautovic as a cut-price option but decided to not meet Bologna’s demands for the Austria striker after having a £7.5m bid rejected by the Italian club.
It’s understood the decision was also influenced by the negative reaction from supporters who were dismayed to see United pursuing a 33-year-old who played in China after leaving the Premier League three years ago.
Arnautovic has also had disciplinary problems, including being hit with a one-match ban by UEFA at Euro 2020 last summer for aiming an anti-Albanian slur at North Macedonia player Gjanni Alioski.
The former West Ham and Stoke striker, who played under Ten Hag and his United No2 Steve McClaren at FC Twente 12 years ago, later denied he was a racist.
United will now look elsewhere for a new forward and have been linked with a move for PSV Eindhoven’s £35m-rated winger Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old Holland international scored 21 goals for PSV last season and was on target twice in their opening-day win over FC Emmen at the weekend.
Gakpo is a cheaper option than Ajax winger Antony, who played under Ten Hag in Holland. United have also been watching Stuttgart target man Sasa Kalajdzic having considered Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko and new Ajax forward Brian Brobbey.
Ten Hag’s other priority position following Sunday’s shock home defeat to Brighton is defensive midfield, and United are progressing with a deal to sign Rabiot. A fee of £15m rising to £19.5m has been agreed with Juventus, and United are in talks with Rabiot’s agent and mother Veronique over personal terms. It’s understood that Ten Hag spoke to the 27-year-old on Monday and he is keen on a move to Old Trafford which could go through before United’s second game of the season at Brentford on Saturday.
United sources insist Rabiot has been on their wishlist all summer and that signing the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder does not rule out landing Ten Hag’s No1 target Frenkie De Jong from Barcelona.
However, Rabiot’s arrival could hasten James Garner’s departure from Old Trafford. Nottingham Forest are keen to sign Garner in a permanent deal after having the 21-year-old on loan last season, and a number of other clubs have also made inquiries.
Meanwhile, former Old Trafford striker Javier Hernandez says United must let Ten Hag run the club his way free of comparison with Sir Alex Ferguson. Hernandez was a part of Ferguson’s last two title-winning teams in 2011 and 2013 and now plays for LA Galaxy in MLS.
‘United need to get over the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson has gone,’ he said. ‘Would we like to have someone similar? Yes, yes, yes. But Sir Alex has gone and it is never going to be the same.
‘To substitute a man like that is not easy. It is like winning the lottery. So United have to adapt and allow the next manager to do it in his own way.’