Manchester United Transfer Targets: Who Jose Mourinho Wants And Why


Now that the English soccer season has come to an end, and Manchester United have not only qualified for next season’s Champions League, but Jose Mourinho’s side have walked away with the EFL Cup and Europa League, too, the rumors surrounding whom the club might purchase and bring to Old Trafford have already begun.

But while newspapers, websites, sources, and insiders are all wildly speculating about whom Manchester United might ultimately purchase over the coming weeks and months, Jose Mourinho has already made it clear that he’s provided his list of targets to Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who is in control of completing the purchases of players.

Ed Woodward has my list. Now it’s up to him and the owners.

Jose Mourinho made this admission to the BBC after Manchester United secured the Europa League on Wednesday with victory over Ajax. During his discussion with BT Sport, via Talk Sport, after the same contest, Jose Mourinho also made it clear that he wouldn’t be involved in the negotiations for the players while noting that Ed Woodward has had his list of players now for over two months.

“(The agents) don’t have my number. It doesn’t matter if it’s Champions League or not, Ed Woodward (the United executive vice-chairman) has my analysed (targets). He has what I want, what I would like, for more than two months. So now it’s for him, for the owners, for the people that work with him and I just wait but I don’t care about football now.”

[Image by Alex Grimm/Getty]

However, which players has Jose Mourinho targeted for Manchester United? Well, according to reports, Jose Mourinho is hoping to acquire Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Torino’s Andrea Belotti, Burnley’s Michael Keane, Tottenham’s Eric Dier, and Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko. Rather than insisting on purchasing all five of these players, though, the BBC believes that Jose Mourinho only wants to pick up three or four of them.

Antoine Griezmann looks as though he is a prime target for Manchester United, as they have been linked to the French forward from Atletico Madrid for most of the season. Antoine Griezmann added further credence to this speculation earlier this week when he admitted that there was a 6/10 chance that he’d move to Manchester United this summer.

This was even before Manchester United had beaten Ajax to claim the Europa League, so there’s a good chance that the odds on the transfer have already shortened exponentially. Manchester United would have to spend $108 million (£85 million) to purchase Antoine Griezmann, who has stated that he will make his decision within two weeks. If Manchester United can’t work out a deal for Antoine Griezmann, then it’s believed that Jose Mourinho will turn his attention to purchasing Andrea Belotti from Torino. The Italian forward has scored 25 goals this season in Serie A.

[Image by Getty/Laurence Griffiths]

One of Manchester United’s other main targets is Michael Keane of Burnley, a player that they actually sold to the club back in January 2015 for just $2.56 million (£2 million). Manchester United would have to spend around $32 million (£25 million) to bring Michael Keane back to Old Trafford, but they would actually get 25 percent of that amount back as they agreed on a sell-on clause with the club.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is also intent on adding to his midfield options. Eric Dier would likely cost Manchester United $51 million (£40 million) if they can convince him to move from Tottenham Hotspur, while they are also considering a move for Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko, too, which would set them back $57 million (£45 million). It is likely to be a case of one or the other, in any case. Most Manchester United fans believe that the spending shouldn’t stop there, as they want to see a left-back and maybe another winger arrive at Old Trafford. Either way, it promises to be a very busy summer.

[Featured Image by Alex Grimm/Getty Images]

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