Manchester United: Atlético star incoming?; Zlatan wanted Italy move; Scholes' Pogba advice

By Sam Leveridge

Antoine Griezmann has moved to alert a number of top European clubs to his availability by sacking his current agent, instead opting to listen to the advice of his father and the scout who first brought him into professional football after a number of Ligue 1 clubs turned down the Frenchman due to his lack of height, claim the Manchester Evening News.

With his future in doubt, Jose Mourinho, who is a known admirer, will monitor the situation closely in the hope of adding the Atlético forward to his front line.

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The left-sided attacker would bring pace and skill to the United front line, though any interest from The Red Devils would undoubtedly be bad news for the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford – two players of a very similar style who prefer to play in the same position as Griezmann – who would become the club’s latest ‘Galactico’ signing as the fee needed to take him away from Madrid would most likely be an astronomical one.

It has also emerged that at the start of the summer, talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic instructed his agent Mino Raiola that he wished to move to Napoli, where he planned to retire. The Daily Mail claim that the Swede made his mind up after attending a farewell game for former teammate Ciro Ferrara in Naples, only to have his decision changed by an offer from Jose Mourinho, who Ibrahimovic loved playing under at Inter Milan.

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With five goals in his first five games and instantly becoming a Premier League sensation, it seems as though Zlatan made the right decision, with speculation of a new contract offer already being in the offing despite yet having reached double figures in terms of appearances for the club. Symbolic of the club’s transformation over the summer, the former Barcelona forward has rapidly become a fans favourite at Old Trafford and one of the leaders in a young and developing side under Mourinho.

Another new arrival who has not benefitted from such a spectacular start is Paul Pogba, who has struggled to replicate his best form since returning to Old Trafford. On BT Sport, former United midfielder Paul Scholes has blamed that partly on Mourinho’s system, in which Pogba lacks the balance in midfield to allow him to excel, with the former England international saying that Pogba would benefit from a player like Toni Kroos or Luka Modric alongside him in midfield.

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Scholes also suggested a possible alternative already in the United ranks, with Michael Carrick an option to play the role of a more deep lying playmaker who can also handle the defensive responsibilities required, something that Morgan Schneiderlin has struggled to provide, mainly focusing on the defensive side of the game, whilst Ander Herrera does the opposite. United will be desperate to get the most out of their star man as soon as possible, and another signing may be required to do that.

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