Red Devils round-up: Mourinho confirmed; £54m midfielder lined-up; Chelsea forward surprise target

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First up on Thursday’s Manchester United transfer-round up, the news we have all been waiting for: Jose Mourinho has signed his contract to become the new manager of Manchester United! Indeed, an exclusive Sky Sports report has confirmed that the Portuguese manager has finally put pen to paper to succeed Louis van Gaal as the new boss at Old Trafford.

Mourinho met the executive vice chairman of Manchester United, Ed Woodward, to conclude the talks earlier in the afternoon, symbolically wearing a black and red tie for the final stage of negotiations. It is suggested that he then headed home with documents in his hand and a bottle of red wine, with Sky Sports announcing the news shortly after his departure.

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are lining up a move for Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez as part of the new era under Mourinho. However, the La Liga outfit are reluctant to lose a player of such importance and recently agreed a contract with him worth £80,000 a week. This new deal also includes a £54million buy-out clause – which United would be expected to meet.

A versatile player, with experience beyond his years, Saul’s ability defensively would make him a star in the Red Devils’ midfield. He has become a fan favourite at the Calderon thanks to his dynamic displays in the centre of the park and it comes as little surprise that Mourinho and the Manchester United hierarchy are showing interest in him.

The Spaniard made 29 league appearances throughout the most recent campaign, averaging three challenges and 1.8 interceptions per game. He finished the season as Altetico’s 2nd most frequent tackler, while also ranking above any other Manchester United midfielder in this respect.

Furthermore, he also impressed going forward, weighing in with nine goals and four assists in all competitions. His most notable strike of the campaign came against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final showcased his considerable talent, a match in which he perfectly showcased his talent.

The same report also suggests that the Red Devils are seeking the services of £30million-rated Roma defender Kostas Manolas. It is believed that the club have made initial enquiries about a deal for the Greek international. However, any transfer will have to wait until United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, Mourinho and his agent Mendes have agreed their list of targets.

If the aforementioned duo were not good enough to satisfy the transfer hunger of United fans, The Sun report that Jose Mourinho is targeting Brazil attacking midfielder Willian from former club Chelsea in a £60m deal – a rumour that is significantly less believable.

First and foremost, the suggested price-tag must be scrutinised, as should the club’s desire to sell. With 11 goals in all competitions last term, the 27-year-old was Chelsea’s top performer – by a long margin – and it is highly unlikely that incoming Blues boss Antonio Conte will allow him to leave Stamford Bridge during his first season in charge.

With Memphis Depay struggling to adapt to the rigorous the nature of English football, and Lingrad unlikely to be seen as the long-term solution on the opposite flank, United are surely going to be in the market for a talented wide midfielder during the upcoming summer window.

Willian would certainly fit the bill, and his positive relationship with Jose Mourinho is certainly worth considering. However, the Chelsea Player of the Year is not worth anywhere in the region of £60 million – which is double what the Blues first paid to sign him from Anzhi Makhachkala three years ago.

In other news, Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic appears to have taken a step closer with his move to Old Trafford. According to The Guardian, the 34-year-old has told Manchester United he is keen to join them, however, he wants €15m (£11.3m) per season to do so. The former Paris Saint Germain would undoubtedly prove a quick fix to the club’s current lack of depth up front.

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