Views: 0
Man Utd intend to go back in for a Real Madrid star they already bid for last summer, though convincing Carlo Ancelotti to sanction a sale won’t be easy – even amid talk of an €80m bid, per a report.
Manchester United’s January window was a rather more sedate affair when compared to their summer travails. Things did get interesting when Christian Eriksen’s ankle injury forced United into exploring a deadline day loan signing.
However, a rapid-fire move for Marcel Sabitzer quickly took shape when the Austrian immediately said yes when made aware of United’s interest.
By contrast, their summer window was a helter-skelter affair, primarily because of their inability to sign Frenkie de Jong.
The long-winded pursuit dragged on month after month and only when United threw in the towel did moves for Casemiro and Antony ramp up.
However, a deal to sign Adrien Rabiot was explored in between the De Jong miss and Casemiro coup. According to reports in Spain, (via the Manchester Evening News) a move for Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde was explored too.
The 24-year-old Uruguayan is a bona fide superstar at the Bernabeu these days. However, per the report, he has a strong admirer in the form of Man Utd who it’s claimed failed with a bid last summer.
Man Utd to go again for Valverde?
Not content to take no for an answer, it’s claimed the Red Devils ‘still insist’ on landing Valverde and have earmarked €80m (approx. £71.4m) for a transfer tilt at season’s end.
That’s a sizeable sum, though per the report, it’s nowhere near enough.
Indeed, despite struggling to find his best form since the World Cup, Valverde remains one of manager Carlo Ancelotti’s most integral figures.
Furthermore, there’s no indication Valverde is ready to leave Real any time soon and even if he were, Los Blancos value the player far higher than £71.4m.
Only an ‘irrefutable proposal’ would even begin to tempt Real into considering a sale. An exact figure isn’t listed, though if Enzo Fernandez cost £106.8m, it stands to reason Real would command more for an infinitely more proven player.
In the unlikely event Man Utd were able to pull off the blockbuster coup, logic would dictate Marcel Sabitzer would stand no chance of earning a permanent move.
The Bayern loanee’s switch does not contain an option to buy. Nevertheless, our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, revealed Sabitzer already has one eye on earning himself a permanent move to Old Trafford over the coming months.
Bailey told TEAMtalk on Thursday: “Whilst there is no option to buy within the current deal, Sabitzer is already aware that he has no long-term future at Bayern.
“He isn’t currently in the team and Konrad Laimer is joining in the summer too.
“Sabitzer believes he can earn a permanent move to United this summer. That is now entirely down to him and his performances in the second half of the season.
“A positive impression could mean he might secure a permanent summer switch.”
However, Ten Hag deploys just a two-man midfield and in the event Valverde were signed, Sabitzer would be fourth-choice at absolute best behind Casemiro, Eriksen and Valverde.
The Uruguayan has occasionally played further forward on the right side of the attack at Real. Though that’s not a scenario that’d likely be replicated at Old Trafford given the presence of £86m man Antony.