Manchester United: Creative Chelsea midfielder linked; 20-year-old wanted; Valencia subject to bid

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The Daily Mail reports that Jose Mourinho has told the ManchesterUnited squad he wants to work with a core group of just 24 players this season, having used 22 in his title-winning 2014-15 Premier League campaign with Chelsea.

The Red Devils struggled last season because Louis Van Gaal assembled a small squad of roughly 23 players. Nonetheless, Mourinho clearly remains confident in his methods and believes the tight-knit, smaller group will bring him further success in England.

With European football part of the schedule this season, the Portuguese head coach might be taking a risk, but it is an encouraging sign for the Old Trafford faithful that he sounds prepared to cull the deadweight that currently burdens the club’s wage bill.

Meanwhile, Manchester United were very interested in signing Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas, reigniting their intrigue from three years ago. Under David Moyes the Spaniard was a target for the Red Devils but a move never materialised and now Jose Mourinho, who instead brought him back to England from Barcelona, wants to sign him for a second time.

The 29-year-old joined Mourinho’s at Stamford Bridge in 2014 and was instrumental as they won their first title in five years under the Portuguese head coach. The suggestion in the Mirror is Mourinho is waiting to find out whether Fabregas survives Antonio Conte’s summer shake-up, with the incoming Stamford Bridge manager apparently targeting several midfield reinforcements.

Chelsea’s new boss appears to require more steel and energy in the middle of the park and that could see Fabregas become surplus to requirements for the Blues. Should this be the case, Mourinho would bring the creative midfielder to Old Trafford in a heartbeat, there is no doubt. This could see the Red Devils line-up with an attacking quartet of Ibrahimovic, Martial, Mkhitaryan and Fabregas – a frightening prospect for any Premier League defence.

According to The Sun, the Premier League champions are keen on signing Brazilian midfielder Andreas Pereira, whose preparations for the new season could be disrupted by the Olympics. The 20-year-old was reportedly subject of a six-month loan offer from the Premier League champions in January but hey failed in their attempts to bring him in. Nonetheless, they are expected to return with another bid – this time a permanent deal – this summer.

Despite all of his talent, Pereira has struggled to break into the Manchester United first-team fold under various different managers throughout the past few seasons, and he may feel he is better off establishing himself elsewhere. Taking inspiration from the likes of Danny Drinkwater and Danny Simpson – both of whom once played in United’s youth academy – he could view Leicester as the perfect club with whom to kick-start his senior career.

Elswhere, Paris Saint Germain want to sign Antonio Valencia from Manchester United, according to reports in Spain. Indeed, Futbol Mercado claim the Ligue 1 champions have made a £26million bid for the 30-year-old, with the club in the market for a new right-back following the sale of Gregory van der Wiel to Fenerbahce and with doubts surrounding the future of Marquinhos at the Parc des Princes.

Valencia is one of many who have been linked with a move away from the Red Devils following the arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager and, although he has been an excellent servant to the club since his move from Wigan Athletic in 2009, the Old Trafford hierarchy would be foolish to reject such a lavish offer. To make a profit (he joined for around £16m) by selling the Ecuadorian at this stage of his career, would be a fine piece of business.

Finally, West Ham have confirmed the signing of 20-year-old striker Ashley Fletcher from Manchester United, who enjoyed promotion to the Championship, via the play-offs, with Barnsley last season. The youngster has penned a four-year deal with the Hammers and becomes their fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Havard Nordtveit, Sofiane Feghouli and Gokhan Tore.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Alex Hannam