Manchester United: £42m transfer agreed; Young makes decision on future; South America scouted

By Sam Leveridge

Portuguese source Record report that Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira was in Manchester yesterday to finalise the details of an agreement which is likely to see Swedish defender Victor Lindelof complete a move to Old Trafford in January, with the final fee believed to be in the region of £42 million.

The Portuguese club had been reluctant to allow the 22-year-old to leave given their upcoming Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund in the knock out stages, but United made him their top target given his no nonsense style of defending and are believed to have now closed the deal.

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Ashley Young will soon be forced to make a decision on his future amid speculation of an exit and with offers from three different continents on the table, say Bleacher Report. Swansea and Watford are among the clubs to be preparing offers for the left sided player, with Chinese and American clubs also considering a move.

Young still holds out hope of an extension at Old Trafford, but will consider his options next month to decide what to do when his contract expires in the summer and may look to force Manchester United’s hand into revealing their current thinking on his future.

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United are said to be preparing to launch an effort to catch up with some of their European competitors like Porto, Benfica and Juventus by focusing on recruitment of young talents in South America, according to the Daily Mail.

The Red Devils moved to sign brothers Rafael and Fabio da Silva in 2008 but have rarely signed from South American clubs since. Meanwhile the likes of Porto have done so successfully, buying players cheaply when young, developing them into talents and then selling them on for huge profits, a model that United want to follow.

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