What’s the story?
English media house, The Times claim that Manchester United have decided to go after Atletico Madrid duo Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez. The Premier League side believe the duo will power the Red Devils and get them the status of ‘European elite’ which they previously possessed but have lost after the retirement of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Jose Mourinho wants to build a squad that is capable of challenging the best teams in Europe and has settled on the duo who have release clauses that total a whopping £145m.
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French player Griezmann has been an absolute star for his club Atletico Madrid where he has scored a total of 62goals in 118 appearances. The player has been targeted by several top clubs till now but no concrete developments in his case have happened till now.
Spanish midfielder, Saul Niguez, on the other hand, does not command an influence like his teammate Griezmann but is a player that Mourinho would love to have in his team. Defensively reliable and athletic, the player can slot himself in multiple positions in the midfield and his versatility is a huge asset.
The heart of the matter
Manager Jose Mourinho is not particularly impressed with the performance of the squad and wants to get a few players in, who he believes will make United a team to deal with at the highest levels of football. The Portuguese wants to get United back to their old glory days and is willing to splash a huge sum to get the players that he wants.
What next?
According to several spectators, Manchester United have an overburdened squad in terms of personnel and Jose Mourinho will be looking to cut that down. Several players like Depay, Schniederlin, Schweinsteiger are clearly not a part of Mourinho’s plans and will likely be let go of. This will definitely help United in getting rid of deadwood and also clear the wage bill a little.
Sportskeeda’s take
A goalscoring threat like Griezmann and a superb midfielder in Saul Niguez will definitely be two players that every club would want to add to their ranks. However, the sheer size of the sum involved is mind boggling and makes the transfer unlikely in the winter window. It would be best for Manchester United if they’re somehow able to negotiate the price of the two players and get them to Old Trafford.
However, losing two good players in the same window will create further problems for Atletico Madrid who have had an average season till now as they sit 6th in La Liga. The two players have contracts that commit their long-term future to Atletico Madrid till 2021. Manchester United will have to put a tempting deal on the table if they want to lure two prized possessions from the Madrid club.
