Manchester United’s prospects of signing Enzo Fernandez in the summer is still alive, claims Fabrizio Romano.
Fernandez had looked on course to sign for Chelsea, but they decided against paying his release clause, submitting a lower offer instead.
Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
Relations between Chelsea and Benfica have hit the rocks, with manager Roger Schmidt blasting the club, via The Times: “It’s disrespectful against all of us, against Benfica, and I cannot accept what they are doing.
“So to make the player crazy and then pretend they can pay the clause and later they want to negotiate — I think it’s not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss a player.”
Manchester United chances to sign in Enzo Fernandez still alive
Chelsea were the only club perceived as willing to pay up for Fernandez this month. Benfica had made clear that they would not willingly sell him, only if a club pay his £105 million release clause. This could change in the summer.
Fernandez’s reputation soared at the World Cup after he helped Argentina win the tournament, and was awarded the prize for the best young player.
UOL Esporte reported in late December that Manchester United were prominent among the club pursuing the midfielder, with Argentine newspaper Ole linking United with a move last April, while he was still a River Plate player.
Speaking about the current situation on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano said: “Man United are not currently negotiating for Enzo, but let’s see what happens in the summer.
“If Enzo stays at Benfica until the summer, then it could be a really interesting race because Man United will probably have new owners.”
Romano added that both Real Madrid and Liverpool hold interest in the summer, and believes the race will be wide open if Chelsea do not close the deal this month.
He stated there are ‘no new meeting scheduled’ between Chelsea and Benfica over Fernandez, as it stands.
It will certainly take new, ambitious and rich owners to get United into the mix for the player in the summer, but this is exactly what supporters hope will happen, that the Glazers will be replaced by owners capable of financing deals for the best players in the world.
It’s certainly good news to hear that he doesn’t appear to be moving to Chelsea just yet, who are rooted at 10th in the Premier League table.
Too early for trophy talk, says Man United boss Ten Hag
MANCHESTER, Jan 6 — Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag said his team are in a “good position” but it was still too early for them to be thinking about silverware, ahead of an FA Cup tie against Everton.
United will be looking for their seventh straight win in all competitions when they face a struggling Everton side on Friday.
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The Old Trafford club have not won a trophy since lifting the Europa League in 2017, but when asked if that could be about to change, Ten Hag told reporters: “I don’t think about (winning trophies) at this stage of the season.
“We are where we want to be but still go from game to game, we play in many competitions, focus from game to game and don’t think too far ahead… We have many elements in our game we have to improve.
“As we push the players because good is not good enough, also in the organisation we have to push each other and when there are opportunities at the top you have to be ready for that. My main focus is to improve the team.”
Ten Hag said forward Anthony Martial is available after coming off with a knock in United’s 3-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth, adding that the Frenchman is being eased back into action.
“He came off but he didn’t play that much in the first half of the season so we have to bring him slowly back into 90 minutes,” Ten Hag said.
“He can play 90 minutes but (if we’re playing him) in a row of games we have to protect him so he can have the strength, the power to deliver over 90 minutes, every third day.”
Shifting his attention to the transfer market, Ten Hag discussed the departure of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who was recalled by parent club Newcastle United on Sunday.
United have been linked with a loan move for Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland and Ten Hag said they need three experienced goalkeepers in the squad.
“We have some young ones, and they do well, but we have so many games,” he said. “So you need three good goalies in training but also when problems are coming you need experience in goal to get … what you are aiming for.
“I’m really happy with David (de Gea), it’s quite clear, he’s our number one, he’s a really good performer, but there’s always something that can happen with David as well, and you have to be prepared for that.” — Reuters
Source: unitedinfocus.com;
