Manchester United are monitoring the situation between Portugal defender Pepe and Real Madrid as he enters the final eight months of his contract at the Bernabeu and with a contract extension still some way off, claim Calciomercato. Juventus and Chelsea are also said to be tracking the feisty centre back, but Jose Mourinho believes that he may have an advantage having previously worked with him before.
Mourinho has already made it clear that he wishes to bolster his backline, with experienced additions such as Pepe or his international teammate Jose Fonte prioritised. Pepe would come cheaper as the club could enter into negotiations over a free transfer in January if he is still yet to agree a new deal with his current club, so may be given first choice.
However, it’s not all good news for the United manager as the Independent report that he could face a stadium ban over the tunnel confrontation with Mark Clattenburg at half time in Saturday’s clash with Burnley which saw him sent to the stands for the second half of the game, where he remained vocal.
Initially sitting in the front row behind the dugout, he was then forced into the directors’ box, and could now face a more severe punishment with the FA waiting on Clattenburg’s full report from the game before deciding on what action to take against the former Chelsea boss.
That won’t stop him making life difficult for German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has seen his exile taken up a level as he is now blocked from playing for the club’s under 23 side. Warren Joyce, who is reportedly set to join Wigan, requested that the £170,000 per week World Cup winner be made available for selection for his side, but Mourinho rejected the request according to the Sunday People.
Schweinsteiger is now only permitted to train, and even then only with the under 23s, ahead of a move which seems likely to be in January with a move to the MLS or China most likely as the destinations for the 32-year-old.
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