Man Utd manager Jose Mourinho plots sensational January swoop for Antoine Griezmann
JOSE MOURINHO wants Antoine Griezmann to save Manchester United’s season.
Posted Monday, January 01, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk
United plan to pip Barcelona to land Antoine Griezmann
Mourinho is ready to pay the French star £300,000 a week to snub Barcelona and move to Old Trafford instead.
United are out of the title race following three draws in a row and facing a battle just to finish in the top four.
To make matters worse Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out for a month with a knee problem, while Romelu Lukaku will miss the next two games after suffering concussion following a clash of heads against Southampton on Saturday.
United tried to sign Griezmann last season but failed to strike a deal with Atletico Madrid and turned to Lukaku in a £90m deal instead.
But Mourinho remains a huge fan of the attacking midfielder and believes he can still hijack Griezmann's likely move to Barcelona if United meet the buy-out clause of £100m in the January transfer window.
Barca are believed to be in pole position to land Griezmann in the summer after targeting him as Neymar's replacement.
But United know Atletico are reluctant to sell him to one of their biggest rivals and will try to tempt him to Old Trafford with a mega money deal.
United are reluctant to spend big in this month's window, but know Griezmann, 26, is a long-term investment and that there is no point in waiting until the summer to make their move.
Mourinho admits United's faltering campaign is in danger of going down the pan, ahead of their trip to Everton.
He said: "I feel unlucky, yes. The boys are trying, but we have lots of problems.
"We lost Lukaku and we lost Ibrahimovic for a month. To lose him for a month means he stops his run to recovery. He has been running for many months.
"In the period where what he needs is to play and have minutes, we now lose him for a month.
"We lose Lukaku, I don't know for how long.
"We finish the year in third position in the table, but we have to fight to improve our position."
Mourinho will also be without Ashley Young for three games after he was charged with violent conduct for elbowing Dusan Tadic in the stomach.
The incident was missed by referee Craig Pawson during the goalless draw but caught on camera.
Tadic said: "There was no provocation from me - nothing.
"I was surprised and then at the next corner I asked him 'why did you do that?' and he said 'I didn't do anything'.
"I said 'you didn't do anything? You elbowed me in the stomach without reason'. Okay, if you want to push, but an elbow is different."
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