José Mourinho is reportedly keen on landing a new striker in the summer. Growing concerns about the future of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, and Anthony Martial are thought to be the key reason behind United linked with a number of forwards. One of the club’s transfer targets appears to be Ousmane Dembele, a highly rated talent who plays for Borussia Dortmund. He has already caught the attention of several clubs from Europe. The 19-year-old is believed to have turned down offers from Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal in order to secure a move to Dortmund last summer. He was signed for around €15 million by the German outfit.
Now, they stand to receive a huge profit – if they decide to sell – on the player, as United are ready (The Sun) to pay around €60 million for his services. This is not a sign of desperation from the Red Devils, as Dembele is clearly one of the highly rated young strikers in world football at the moment. Capable of playing in a number of positions including midfield, Dembele has scored six goals in 18 starts for the Bundesliga club. His biggest impact has come while playing on the right side of the front three, as he has been able to secure two goals in three appearances from this position.
Manchester United may be on the verge of offering a €45 million profit for Dortmund, but there is every possibility of the German side rejecting any offers for the player. Hence, Jose Mourinho also has a backup plan should he fail to sign the 19-year-old. It is to bring in Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan. The 28-year-old is now managed by super agent Predrag Mijatovic, whose relationship with Jose Mourinho goes back to the days at the Bernabeu. Perisic is an experienced alternative to Dembele. While he will cost significantly less in terms of transfer fees, the Croatian is expected to require a £100,000-a-week contract.
Mourinho has reportedly been in touch with his friend Mijatovic, a former Real Madrid sporting director, in order to complete the deal. Mijatovic and Mourinho have worked together in the past, as Mourinho has signed Luka Modric and Nemanja Matic with the former’s assistance.
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