Manchester United are ‘preparing’ a €100m [£88m] bid to sign Federico Valverde, who could be ‘sacrificed’ by Real Madrid, and are ready to ‘bet hard’ on the ‘new Neymar’ impressing for Santos.
Ruben Amorim looked to be turning things around at Old Trafford through a run of three wins and two draws, but the Red Devils returned to the doldrums with a poor performance in a 1-0 defeat to Everton on Monday.
United spent over £200m on new players in the summer, mainly to bolster Amorim’s attacking options, and reports suggest their focus in the transfer market has now turned to new wing-backs and a midfielder to play alongside Bruno Fernandes.
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Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson are thought to be their top three midfield targets, but a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claims they’re also interested in Valverde and are ready to make a ‘proposal of £88m’ to sign him from Real Madrid.
The 27-year-old has started 11 of Madrid’s 13 La Liga games this season, captaining the side in half of them, but the report claims his ‘relationship with Xabi Alonso has deteriorated’ which ‘according to sources close to the locker room, would open the door to a change of scenery’.
It’s claimed Madrid and Alonso are concerned by his ‘loss of technical confidence and the constant ups and downs of performance’.
Amorim is ‘confident his addition would give an immediate leap in quality’ as he sees Valverde as ‘the ideal steering wheel to support in midfield’.
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The report adds:
‘That exit would mark the beginning of a transition to a midfield with different resources, with players who dominate the break, the pass and control of the ball, leaving behind the physical versatility and dedication that the Uruguayan offered.’
And the same outlet claims Manchester United are also making strides to sign the latest teenager dubbed the ‘new Neymar’ from Brazil as Chelsea’s acquisition of Estevao bears delicious fruit this season.
Santos’ Robinho Junior is ‘one of the great emerging jewels of Brazilian football’ and United are the European club ‘most determined to take the final step’ to land him.
The 17-year-old winger has impressed through ‘his ability to unbalance’ defenders in one-on-ones and with his eye for a pass and the report claims United believe he ‘fits the profile of a soccer player with projection, talent and room for growth’.
United are ‘aware it won’t be an easy negotiation’ but are ‘willing to bet hard’ on the teenager and ‘there have already been preliminary contacts to assess the conditions’ of the transfer’.