The final piece in the jigsaw?
Both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial may have proved that they can both perform through Manchester United’s inside left channel with aplomb this season, but it seems Jose Mourinho is still intent on strengthening that side of his team.
The Old Trafford has been fulsome in his praise of Rashford and Martial for the way they’ve each started the season, but both are seen as eventual strikers who are doing a job on the left side of a front three. Certainly, neither provides genuine width.
There has been much talk of Inter’s Ivan Perisic being Mourinho preferred option as the ‘fourth player’ he’s always banging on about, but that seems less and less likely as United’s valuation of the player differs wildly from that of the Serie A outfit.
Told Perisic to @ManUtd is 99% dead. Clubs were close re fee at one point but Inter owners dug heels in.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) August 25, 2017
But now there is renewed hope that a younger – and arguably more talented – option could be heading to Old Trafford. That’s because Duncan Castles, possibly Mourinho’s closest confidant in the British press pack, has stoked up speculation.
Thomas Lemar, Monaco’s coveted young star who is able to play across the front line including the left, is a concrete option who may yet make a move to Manchester this month. This despite the fact that Arsenal have been after him all summer.
Indeed Castles has gone as far as to suggest that the player himself would prefer a move to United over the Emirates.
Speaking on The Transfer Window podcast, the Jose-phile explained that contrary to Wenger’s suggestion that Monaco simply wouldn’t countenance a sale at this stage, a deal is still very much there to me made.
“Arsene Wenger was asked about the Lemar deal, which is something Arsenal have pursued the whole summer, and he said it was dead as far as he was concerned,” explained Castles.
“The argument he put was Monaco was dealing with the imminent departure to PSG and Fabinho, who is almost certain to join PSG as well and therefore would not be selling any more players. I had a chat with a Monaco contact last night, asking where things stood, he said the Lemar deal was very much on the table as far as they’re concerned.
“It is a possibility he leaves if the £60m transfer fee they’re looking for is met.
“The interesting bit of information is I asked where Lemar would prefer to go, whether it’s Arsenal or Manchester United. And he was very clear. Lemar wants to go to Manchester United.
“That may be connected with Wenger’s statement in that, essentially, once United come in head to head with Arsenal the financial power is always gonna with the Old Trafford club and, this instance, the attraction of Champions League football.”
United only have a few days left until the transfer window slams shut, but if there’s any justice in the world, the 21-year-old will be wearing Manchester red before the month is out.
