Man Utd transfer news: Two players to be sold to fund £65m Harry Maguire bid
Posted Saturday, July 28, 2018 by Express.co.uk
Man Utd transfer news: Mourinho needs to sell players to generate funds for Harry Maguire bid (Image: GETTY)
MANCHESTER UNITED will dump Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian to fund their £65million bid for Harry Maguire.
The pair have been told they are surplus to requirements, with both Milan clubs in for Darmian and newly-promoted Wolves keen on signing Rojo.
Jose Mourinho has been told he must get rid of defenders to generate funds and free up space within his squad for Leicester and England World Cup star Maguire.
Although Rojo only signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal in March, worth £160,000 a week, that was done chiefly to protect his market value with United wanting up to £30m for him.
The Argentina defender, 28, has played just 107 of a possible 223 games for United since joining from Sporting Lisbon for £16m four years ago, his woeful injury record finally persuading Mourinho to jettison him.
Man Utd transfer news: Marcos Rojo has attracted the interest of newly-promoted Wolves (Image: GETTY)
Rojo has not joined United on the tail-end of their US tour despite having had the requisite three-week break following his World Cup exploits, and has been told he can find a new club.
Darmian, also 28, who is part of United's US tour squad, is determined to seal his exit as quickly as possible, even if that means leaving Mourinho in the lurch.
Mourinho is short of right-backs for the start of the new season, with skipper Antonio Valencia and new signing Diogo Dalot both sidelined by injury.
Neither has a chance of being fit for United's Premier League opener at home to Leicester on August 10, with £15m-rated Darmian likely to start at right-back.
Inter Milan and AC Milan are interested in Matteo Darmian (Image: GETTY)
Mourinho could switch central defender Victor Lindelof to right-back or play Ashley Young there if Darmian has left by then.
But Lindelof does not return to training until Monday following a post-World Cup break, while Young remains on holiday after helping England to the semi-finals in Russia.
It means Darmian is likely to have to wait to seal his move back to his native Italy, although with the Serie A transfer window closing on August 17, United are under pressure to let him leave by then.
Asked about leaving United, Darmian said: "Yes, that's what I want, but we will see what happens because we don't know.
"I want to play more regularly. Last season I didn't play much. That's why I spoke with the manager and also with the club about my future.
"To play for probably the best club in the world is a good thing and for me it's an honour to play for United. But we have to take decisions in our life and this is my decision. Italy? It could be an option, yes, probably."
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