We have less than a week left until the summer transfer window closes, so Manchester United are running out of time to add another player. When deadline days comes and goes, we may be looking at Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant as the only new arrivals of the summer.
Let’s take a spin through the latest transfer rumors and gossip making the rounds on the internet today. As always, until it’s actually an officially done deal, take the rumors with a grain of salt.
-United forward Anthony Martial wants out, and his current club badly needs an upgrade in central defense. Martial has been linked to several teams this transfer window, including Bayern Munich. So it’s only natural that a potential Martial for Jerome Boateng swap deal narrative would gain traction in the silly season.
It’s just not going to happen though according to Bayern Munich chief executive officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The Bayern boss wants a cash only deal.
Bild (h/t Sport Witness) reported Bayern value centre-back Boateng at €55 million (£49 million), and Rummenigge told the newspaper why Martial isn’t a good enough sweetener: “We have four outside forwards: Ribéry, Robben, Coman and Gnabry. And Davies also comes. You must not overdo it. That’s what some clubs do, but it’s a problem for the coach.”
So it looks like you can scratch Boateng off the list of realistic centre back targets for this summer. Just like Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld, he’s not coming. Maybe Eric Bailly can stay healthy and in form this season? Perhaps this is the season Victor Lindelof lives up to his price tag?
An upgrade over the poor form pairing of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones is badly needed, it’s obvious, but it may have to just come from in house.
Elsewhere, in United reserve goalkeeper news, 22 year old Joel Pereira has joined Vitoria Setubal on loan. Basically, this is the second part of the Grant acquisition/the reason they signed him.
United manager Jose Mourinho explained earlier this summer when the club was training in Los Angeles:
“We did Lee Grant because we have a fantastic young goalkeeper who needs to play football. I really believe Joel is a Manchester United goalkeeper, but he cannot be two years without football — he has to play.”
“To protect that position we have Lee, we’ve known Lee for a long time, he has experience in the Championship, also with Stoke City in the Premier League, he’s more than ready to fulfil that position and allow the development of Joel.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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