Manchester United are set to complete the signing of Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan in the next few days, reports in England say. The transfer price for the player has been the main reason delaying the deal – Inter want £48 million for the player but United want to offer significantly less for the 28-year old winger.
Inter also reportedly asked Manchester United about its forward Anthony Martial. The Serie A side are looking at the possibility that the struggling Red Devils France international would move to Italy.
Inter are in talks with Lazio over the possibility of signing a replacement for Perisic. The talks have reached an advanced stage and Lazio could release him. Keita Balde has been decent in his role and Inter feel he can contribute to their season aims.
Perisic exited the club’s training camp in the Alps as he had a medical issue he had to sort out in his home country. United manager Jose Mourinho has signed two players already this term but the Portuguese wants two more as he seeks to mount a serious title challenge in the forthcoming season. Tickets to their home matches are already hotly anticipated, with only a few tickets left to the big games on this site, though Perisic would add an extra dimension in attack, and help United’s title-chasing cause.
Perisic scored 11 goals for Inter last season but he could help out much more at Old Trafford. Romelu Lukaku is set to lead the attack line so the Croatian could combine with the Belgian to get the goals.
“We wanted four, so I could say 50 percent of the job is done, but I won’t say that because it’s so difficult. I wouldn’t like to be in Ed Woodward’s position, negotiating, because everything is really difficult. Maybe we don’t get two, maybe we got one, but we need one to give us more options and balance. We have players in the squad that cannot play football for the next few months, players like Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young,” the former Blues boss said.
United are hoping to reintroduce the fighting spirit and winning mentality at Old Trafford. There have been complains about the standard of players at the club as well. Mourinho hopes to solve the problems with the top quality additions to the ranks.