Rumour reel: Man Utd to move on Real Madrid star
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Mourinho on the hunt for a striker
Manchester United have been linked to their fair share of top class European strikers already this summer, but the story of the week at Old Trafford surrounded an attacker leaving – Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 35-year-old was not offered a new deal and injury cost him the second-year extension that had been written into his contract. He’ll be a massive loss to the fans, and the Premier League as a whole. So, who will replace him?
Morata to Man Utd
The Red Devils have moved quickly in an attempt to nail down number one summer transfer target Alvaro Morata. The player seems keen on a move to the English top-flight, and current employers Real Madrid wouldn’t lose too much sleep over his departure either, but if United want to get their man, they’ll have to up their original offer of £52m, which was reportedly rejected by the La Liga outfit. It seems that paltry sum was merely to test the water, and there’s a revised offer of £60m in the post. That should be enough to get the 24-year-old’s signature.
Milan want Costa
Fans of Premier League champions Chelsea seem to have accepted they’ll lose star striker Diego Costa, with the Spaniard thought to be off to the cash-rich Chinese leagues. Perhaps not, and certainly not if Serie A giants AC Milan have their way. The Italians are said to be great admirers of Costa’s talents, so much so they’re preparing a £40m move to tempt the Londoners into doing business. It unlikely Chelsea would be able to stop the player going to Milan, if that’s what he wanted, but they would be keen to get the best possible price for their prize. Newspaper headlines would have us believe relations between player and manager are at an all-time low.
Southampton to sack Puel
This one can be filed under gossip at the moment, but there are whispers coming out of St Mary’s that the Southampton board have already had their fill of manager Claude Puel, and are making moves behind the seasons to ditch their gaffer and replace him with German Thomas Tuchel, of Borussia Dortmund fame. The 43-year-old was previously thought to be a frontrunner for the Arsenal job – but that’s no longer vacant. Saints fans would argue Frenchman Puel has taken them backwards.
