Jose Mourinho targets £180 million quartet across next two windows to continue Manchester United revolution
Jose Mourinho has set his sights on signing Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, Benfica defenders Victor Lindelof and Nelson Semedo and Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko next year as his Old Trafford revolution gathers pace.
The Manchester United manager has identified that quartet as leading targets for the next two transfer windows as he prepares to take his gross spending over the course of his first year in charge soaring past the £300 million mark.
Griezmann, Bakayoko and Semedo are all summer targets but Lindelof is expected to be first through the door next month. United held further talks with Benfica and the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, this week and are close to securing a deal worth up to £38 million, including possible add ons, for the young Sweden centre-half.
United would have to meet the €100 million (£84 million) release clause in Griezmann’s contract, which was increased from €80 million when the forward signed a new deal in June that ties him to Atletico until 2021. But they hope a potential transfer could be smoothed by the likely departure of Atletico coach Diego Simeone, who will be a free agent next summer after taking the extraordinary step this year of shortening his deal with the Spanish club by two years.
Simeone could move to Italy, with Inter Milan among the interested parties, and that may weaken Atletico’s hopes of retaining some of their best players. Griezmann, 25, who was the leading scorer at the European Championships last summer with six goals for host nation France, is also best friends with United midfielder Paul Pogba, his compatriot, and United are likely to take full advantage of the pair’s relationship in an effort to coax Mourinho’s priority summer target.
Pogba’s arrival in August for a world record £89 million fee from Juventus followed the signings of defender Eric Bailly, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and took Mourinho’s gross spending to £145.7 million.
That figure could swell to as much as £325 million if United pull off moves for Griezmann, Lindelof, Bakayoko and Semedo, who would cost a combined total of about £180 million. United face competition from Chelsea for Bakayoko, a £35 million rated powerful defensive midfielder who could provide a long-term alternative to Michael Carrick, and Bayern Munich for Semedo, a pacey right back valued at £25 million.
United had originally planned to sign Lindelof next summer, when a €30 million (£25.2 million) release clause in the player’s contract activates. But growing competition for the 22-year-old’s signature – who is unwilling to sign a new deal at Benfica – and the Portuguese club’s willingness to do business, despite their progression to the Champions League knockout stages, have altered the picture.
The prospect of more cover at centre-half also appeals to Mourinho given that he could be without Bailly for up to six weeks from early next month owing to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.
United’s Swedish striker Ibrahimovic has provided a glowing appraisal to the club of compatriot Lindelof and Rui Vitoria, the Benfica coach, has refused to rule out the player moving to Old Trafford. “If there are exits, we will find solutions,” he said.
Lindelof’s former team-mate, Robin Bloome, with whom he played at Swedish side Vasteras SK, has claimed United have already reached an agreement with Benfica and that Lindelof would play his last game for Benfica tonight (WED), against Rio Ave.
Strong, fast, good in the air and an intelligent reader of the game, Lindelof – who is contracted at Benfica until June 2020 – has enjoyed a dramatic rise to prominence this year after injuries to defenders Luisao, Lisandro Lopez and Jardel opened the door to him and he has not looked back.
He won his first senior call up for Sweden soon after and Ibrahimovic described Lindelof last month as a player “doing great things”. “He has a lot of responsibility for the national team, he is ready for the big clubs out there, it’s up to him and what he wants,” Ibrahimovic said. “I know he’s hot on the market.”
United have also enquired about Semedo, whom Mourinho believes could provide strong competition for Antonio Valencia. Valencia is 31 and with full back Matteo Darmian likely to depart next year, Mourinho wants to bring in a new right back, but United face competition from Bayern. Semedo has an €80 million release clause in his contract, which expires in June 2021, but he is expected to be available for around £25 million. Like Lindelof, Semedo is represented by Mendes, who is also Mourinho’s agent.
Despite barely using Carrick at the start of the season, Mourinho has come to depend on the veteran England midfielder, who will be 36 next July, and has intimated that he could offer the player a 12-month contract extension. But Mourinho wants to sign a long-term replacement in advance and his eye has been drawn regularly to Bakayoko, the France Under-21 midfielder who has been scouted extensively and has played a key role in Monaco’s impressive start to the season.
Bakayoko, 22, impressed in Monaco’s two victories over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League group stage and will face more English opposition in the Round of 16 after the French club were drawn against Manchester City. Good on the ball and strong physically and mentally, Monaco hope to create an auction for the player, who will cost at least £35 million, with Chelsea also in the running.