Manchester United transfer news LIVE: Jadon Sancho and Alex Telles latest, Jesse Lingard to Tottenham plus Premier League updates
Manchester United are hoping to step up their summer transfer business with the deadline just two weeks away
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Manchester United are chasing reinforcements with the summer transfer deadline just two weeks away.
The 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace has hastened the urgency for new recruits with Jadon Sancho remaining the No 1 target. Borussia Dortmund have been holding out for £108m all summer but Ed Woodward is said to be confident they will drop the asking price before the deadline with personal terms already agreed with the England international.
Left-back is another priority position to upgrade with Porto’s Alex Telles another to be linked. A five-year deal has been agreed with a fee with the Portuguese club now being haggled over. There could yet be a number of exits too with Chris Smalling still set for Roma and Jesse Lingard a surprise target for Tottenham Hotspur and former boss Jose Mourinho.
ROMA STILL WANT SMALLING
Italian journalist, Fabrizio Romano, says that Roma are still in the hunt for Manchester United’s Chris Smalling after he enjoyed a good loan spell at the Serie A side last season.
Romano says that Roma are preparing a new bid for the centre-back that should come in the next few days:
COSTA HEADING TO WOLVES?
Douglas Costa is closing in on a deal to bring him to the Premier League with his agent, Jorge Mendes, trying to secure a move to Wolves.
The Juventus winger had been linked with Manchester United but no formal bid was ever made by the Red Devils.
Italian publication TuttoSport report that Costa is being brought in to replace Diogo Jota, who signed for Liverpool last week.
A deal with Wolves is not yet done, but it is close with reports of a fee varying from £18m-£37m for the 30-year-old.
Certainly it seems likely that Wolves would pay somewhere in the lower end of that price range.
SOLSKJAER: GREENWOOD MUST IMPROVE HEADING
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Mason Greenwood must improve his heading in order to be Manchester United’s long-term No 9, after the teenager scored in yesterday’s 3-0 victory against Luton.
“The goal was important for him and Marcus, always as strikers. To get that confidence and feeling of scoring," Solskjaer said.
“Mason can play through the middle and also wide. Sometimes, it is nice to be out wide facing forward rather than being the number nine and battering ram. I think he will end up as a number nine.
“But for him to be a number nine, he needs to learn how to head a ball. I keep telling him that. If he wants to do that he is welcome to come and practice with me.”
LEEDS AGREE LLORENTE DEAL
Leeds United have reached an agreement to sign Spanish defender Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad, the La Liga club have said.
Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed but British media reported Leeds would shell out up to 20 million pounds ($25.44 million) for the 27-year-old centre back.
"Real Sociedad and Leeds United have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Diego Llorente. The final agreement is subject to the player's medical test," the club said in a statement.
"Real Sociedad wants to express its thanks and affection towards Diego for the three years he has been part of our club and wishes him all the best in this new chapter of his career."
UNITED PROGRESS DEMBELE TALKS
Manchester United have progressed talks with Barcelona for Ousmane Dembele, report the Record.
The French winger would represent an alternative to Jadon Sancho, who has proven tricky to acquire from Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona want €100m for the France international, while United want to take him on an initial loan. A compromise could be struck if there is a right or obligation to buy though.
UNITED HANDED BROOKS BOOST
United’s chances of securing Bournemouth’s David Brooks have shot up after Leicester City’s interest in the winger subsided.
The Foxes have signed Cengiz Under on a season-long loan from Roma, meaning they have no need for Brooks, who is seen as a back-up option for the Red Devils should Jadon Sancho continue to evade them.
Bournemouth price Brooks at £40m, but United are yet to make a bid.
TELLES TALKS IN ADVANCED STAGE
Esporte Interativo report that Manchester United are in ‘advanced’ negotiations to sign the 27-year-old Alex Telles.
The left-back could become United’s second signing of the transfer window but Telles has a release clause of £36million.
However, United chiefs are confident of sealing a deal for around £22m, the report adds.
Meanwhile, United’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho seems to have ended after a Borussia Dortmund director said he would not be sold this summer.
“Jadon has trained well and professionally,” Sebastian Kehl told Ruhr Nachrichten. “He is happy to play football.
“Yes, someday he might leave for a new challenge but right now he is happy at Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Dortmund is happy to have him.
“He is here – and he will stay here. It was an important statement from the club because we have a certain responsibility. Without Jadon, this team is worse.”
SPURS NOT AFTER LINGARD
Reports had emerged that Jesse Lingard was in talks over a potential move to Spurs but The Athletic says that is not the case.
The initial reports said that Jose Mourinho would welcome a reunion with Lingard but The Athletic say there is little chance of that happening in this transfer window.
The 27-year-old featured heavily for Manchester United during Mourinho’s tenure at Old Trafford making a total of 107 appearances and scoring 20 goals with 11 assists in one of the best spells his career.
With Spurs not keen on a move for Lingard, it remains to be seen where the future lies for the Englishman.
DEMBELE WANTS TO STAY AT BARCA
News that Ousmane Dembele could be headin to Old Trafford needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as the player himself is happy to stay in Spain according to Fabrizio Romano:
LINGARD IN DEMAND
ESPN are reporting that talks are underway between Jesse Lingard’s representatives and Tottenham over a transfer this summer.
If it comes off Lingard will reunite with former manager Jose Mourinho in a move the Tottenham boss is keen on.
Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg are apparently also keen on the Englishman, which could spark a bidding war for the midfielder.
However, the report says that United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would also like to keep Lingard.
Apparently, the Red Devils boss has offered Lingard assurances he will get gametime further down the line but Lingard is considering an exit because he to play regularly at this stage of his career.
The Sun report that United are considering triggering their option to extend Lingard’s contract by a year, in order to preserve Lingard’s value which would explain why Solskjaer wants to keep him.
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