Nemanja Matic was Jose Mourinho’s THIRD-choice and Manchester United boss only turned to Chelsea star after missing out on host of targets
It has been a mixed summer so far for Jose Mourinho with Victor Lindelof in the bag but Alvaro Morata and Ivan Perisic deals still to be done
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho is being left frustrated in the transfer market as Nemanja Matic was his third-choice midfield target this summer.
The Serbian is expected to head north to Old Trafford once Tiemoue Bakayoko completes his move from Monaco to Chelsea.
The Daily Telegraph report Spurs Eric Dier and Roma’s Radja Nainggolan were Mourinho’s first and second choices ahead of Matic, but United failed to make progress with either player.
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Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy values Dier at over £50m, while sources close to Nainggolan currently rate the chances of the Belgian leaving Roma for United as “highly doubtful”.
The Red Devils are still said to be trying to tempt him away with a £37million bid and £130,000-a-week wages.
They have also not given up on a £30million move for Monaco's Brazilian midfielder Fabinho.
Matic has a year left on his contract and has refused to sign a new deal after 18 months of talks reaching an impasse.
The champions do not want to sell the 28-year-old, especially to a rival, but will make a £5million profit if the Serbian international moves to United for £40m ,with Bakayoko moving to Stamford Bridge for £35m.
Matic can pocket more than £150,000-a-week by linking up again with Mourinho, who signed him from Benfica for Chelsea in 2014 before he played a pivotal role in winning the Premier League the next season.
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The midfielder was among Chelsea’s worst performers in Mourinho’s poor third season at Stamford Bridge, which eventually lead to his second West London departure.
And the Portuguese had to defend himself against accusations of humiliating the player after substituting Matic 27 minutes after he had come off the bench in the 3-1 home defeat to Southampton.
United’s summer frustrations began when Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann decided to stay in Spain and Everton’s Romelu Lukaku appeared to prefer to return to Chelsea.
A fee for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Moratta is still to be settled despite the Spaniard agreeing to join his former Bernabeu boss.