Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has made it clear that he is still scouring the transfer market with hopes of adding depth to his Red Devils side. The two most popular names being tossed around the rumor mills are Wesley Sneijder and Mario Götze and either one would be a nice addition.
Sneijder is in the middle of an intense battle with Internazionale president Massimo Moratti to complete a move to Manchester United, according to The Sun. Sneijder has even offered to take a 43 percent per week pay cut over his previous demand to complete the transfer.
Moratti has stood firm behind his assertion that Sneijder is going nowhere. That stance is disappointing to both the club and the 27-year-old midfielder. Sneijder's ability to find the back of the net from the midfield position is one thing the Red Devils are lacking.
He scored 14 goals in 50 games last season across all competitions, including five times in seven games in the World Cup with the Netherlands. He has already scored three goals in four games with his home country and Internazionale in Super Cup play this season.
While it is clear that two of the three sides think a deal would be a perfect match, Moratti shows no signs of budging and letting the talented midfielder bolt for the Premier League. Ferguson would be wise to keep tabs on Sneijder while moving on to his backup plan.
Right now, that backup plan is Götze.
Often compared to Lionel Messi, Götze currently plays for the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. Like Sneijder though, it appears his team has no plans on letting the midfielder go, according to Bild (h/t UK International Business Times).
When news first surfaced about the interest from Manchester United, the price on Götze was rumored to be £20 million. That would have been a steal for the Red Devils when considering the unlimited potential of the 19-year-old German.
Manchester United weren't the only team turned away when inquiring about Götze's availability, Bayern Munich were also told to look elsewhere. It's not totally surprising considering Borussia Dortmund's first-place finish in the Bundesliga last season.
Even though both Sneijder and Götze appear to be staying put for now, don't totally discount a move before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31. It's no secret that teams act like a player is not available to drive up the price and that could definitely be the case here.
Mame Biram Diouf could be on his way out of Old Trafford, according to the Daily Mail. After spending last season on loan with Blackburn, he returned to Manchester United and still had no clear lane to playing time.
Ferguson has set the price on Diouf at £6 million. That's a heavy price tag for a wildly inconsistent striker, but with so many teams desperate for goal scorers, it wouldn't be a major shock if the Red Devils convinced somebody to pay full price.
Blackpool, Fulham, Blackburn and Everton have all inquired about the 23-year-old Senegal international. Everton have said they would have to shed even more payroll if they were going to sign any more players, however.
In non-transfer news today, it was leaked that Manchester United will be floating in the Singapore Stock Exchange in order to pay off debts, according to Sky Sports. The move is also an attempt to help increase the popularity of the team in Asia.
The process leading up to the Initial Public Offering can last as long as 12 weeks, but the report says the team is hoping to raise at least £400 million once the procedure is finished. That would take a major chunk out of the team's current debt, estimated at slightly more than £500 million.
Read more Manchester United news on BleacherReport.com
No comments:
Post a Comment