Manchester United remain confident of signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea and Jose Mourinho wants the Red Devils to shift their focus on signing AS Monaco star Fabinho, reports the Independent.
The 28-year-old has played under the Portuguese tactician when the latter was in charge at Stamford Bridge. It was Mourinho who re-signed Matic at Chelsea in the 2014 January transfer window.
Matic was instrumental in Chelsea’s last two title winning campaigns. The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager wants to reunite with his ex-player at Old Trafford in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is an admirer of Fabinho’s club teammate Tiemoue Bakayoko and is keen on signing him. His arrival will see the Blues sanction Matic’s sale to the Red Devils.
The Serbian international is going to cost United around £35 million, according to the report. Matic is expected to Mourinho’s second signing of this summer as United have already completed a deal for Victor Lindelof, who arrived in England from Benfica.
With a deal for the Chelsea midfielder more or less a done deal, United will then shift their focus on Fabinho. The Brazil international has also played under Mourinho, when the two were at Real Madrid.
The 23-year-old started as a right-back and has impressed in that position. He was deployed in the defensive midfield by Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim earlier in the last season and the versatile star excelled in that role for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Fabinho’s ability to play him in different positions has seen him attract interest from United and is identified as another option in the right-back position. United currently have the services of Antonio Valencia as the first choice player in the same position. The player has publicly revealed an offer from United “would be very tempting.”
“If [Manchester United manager Jose] Mourinho invites me it would be very tempting. But I would have to talk with my agent and Monaco to make the things right,” Fabinho told Brazilian television channel Esporte Interativo.
Fabinho can also be an option in the defensive midfield position. Should United end up signing both Matic and Fabinho, the latter can be a long-term replacement for Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.
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