Gossip: Manchester United ‘not put off’ in £135m chase
SANCH DRESSING
Now they are flying as high as 7th, scoring more than one goal in a game and doing what Manchester City couldn’t against Norwich, one might assume that Manchester United’s pursuit of attacking reinforcements is over. Weirdly enough, it seems not.
The Daily Mirror say they ‘are prepared to meet Borussia Dortmund’s demands’ for Jadon Sancho. The winger has long been reported as United’s priority summer target; they ‘will not be put off by the huge fee in their pursuit’.
Little else is added, really. The claim is simply that United will pay whatever it takes to sign a player they really want. Thanks. For. That.
STOFFING THEIR FACES
Indeed, Monday is rather bereft of transfer speculation as a whole. Which is why we get a story from The Sun about sporting director Erik Stoffelshaus.
The German is ‘a major contender’ to be appointed as Ross Wilson’s replacement at Southampton, despite being on Manchester United’s ‘radar’ for some time. Stoffelshaus found success at Lokomotiv Moscow and Schalke in particular, where he helped bring through Manuel Neuer and Mesut Ozil.
Ralph Hasenhuttl certainly needs the help. His assistant Danny Rohl left this summer in ‘a massive blow’, culminating in that record-breaking home defeat to Leicester last week. That ‘complete humiliation’ has made getting someone in to help Hasenhuttl – or find his successor – a ‘priority’.
RAKIT SPORTS
Elsewhere, Ernesto Valverde ‘has shown his cards’ at Barcelona. AS report that Ivan Rakitic ‘has a new role at the club’: one constantly ‘on the periphery’.
They’re not wrong. The midfielder has started one La Liga game – a defeat to Granada in which he was substituted early – with 36 Champions League minutes to his name. So he is ‘primed to leave in January’.
Barca are basically stocked to the brim with midfielders, making Rakitic surplus to requirements and very much available in the winter. Previous reports stated his value at around £35m, which does seem steeps. Perhaps that’s why only two interested parties are named: Juventus and, obviously, United.
