Manchester United poised to complete £44m deal for Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic

  • Ivan Perisic is set to pull out of Inter Milan’s pre-season tour to China
  • The Croatia winger is desperate to seal a move to Manchester United
  • Two parties are close to agreeing a transfer fee of £39.5m plus £4.5m in add-ons

Manchester United are confident of signing Ivan Perisic in a £44million deal with the Croatia winger set to pull out of Inter Milan’s pre-season tour to China on Tuesday.

Perisic is desperate to move to Old Trafford and it’s understood that the two clubs are close to agreeing a transfer fee of £39.5m plus £4.5m in add-ons after weeks of negotiation.

The 28-year-old left Inter’s training camp over the weekend and returned to Croatia for dental treatment on what was described as a tooth abscess.

 Manchester United are confident of signing Ivan Perisic in a £44million deal

 Manchester United are confident of signing Ivan Perisic in a £44million deal


He is due to report to the club’s Appiano Gentile training base with the rest of the squad on Tuesday morning before Inter fly direct from Malpensa Airport to Nanking later in the day.

United are keen to wrap up a deal so Perisic does not have to travel to China and are said to be increasingly hopeful of finalising terms.

The player made his feelings clear on social media on Monday when he posted a symbol of a plane taking off and pair of hands in prayer.

Old Trafford chief Ed Woodward has stayed in England to complete the deal while United are on tour in America, and did not attend the club’s second game against Real Salt Lake in Utah in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Inter have been holding out for a fee of £48m and also asked to take United winger Anthony Martial on loan as part of the deal.

Inter Milan do not want to keep  United target Perisic (right) against his will

Inter Milan do not want to keep United target Perisic (right) against his will

But the two clubs appear to have reached a compromise on the price, and Inter have turned their attentions to signing Keita Balde as a replacement. Balde has left Lazio’s training camp to complete his move to their Serie A rivals, clearing the way for Perisic to join United.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg winger is set to become United’s third major signing of the summer and take Jose Mourinho’s spending to £150million following the arrival of Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof.

Perisic scored 11 goals for Inter last season but Mourinho hopes that he can provide the service for Lukaku to prosper at Old Trafford after his £75m move from Everton.

The Belgium international was set to make his second appearance for United in Salt Lake City before United return to their Los Angeles base ahead of the opening International Champions Cup game against Manchester City in Houston in the early hours of Friday morning.

The two clubs are close to agreeing a transfer fee of £39.5m plus £4.5m in add-ons

The two clubs are close to agreeing a transfer fee of £39.5m plus £4.5m in add-ons

Meanwhile, it is understood that Wayne Rooney – who moved in the opposite direction to Lukaku when he joined Everton earlier this month – could still take up an ambassadorial role at United when his career is over.

The offer was part of the £250,000-a-week contract that Rooney signed at Old Trafford in February 2014, and it still stands despite his free transfer to Everton.

However, it remains to be seen if United’s all-time record goalscorer takes up the option following his return to Goodison Park.