Man Utd’s shocking $191 million bid was turned down, and they are now looking for a loan deal for a player who plays for Chelsea.
Man Utd’s shocking $191 million bid was turned down, and they are now looking for a loan deal for a player who plays for Chelsea. Manchester United’s desperate search for offensive help has taken a big turn: they now want to buy a star winger from Premier League rivals Chelsea. Also, the Red Devils are said to have had an enormous offer for one of the best players in the world turned down. Here’s what’s going on in terms of transfers.
Transfer Buzz
Christian Pulisic, an American winger who plays for Chelsea, is also the captain of the U.S. national team. But he has fallen out of favor at Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old player was bought from Borussia Dortmund by Chelsea for £57.6 million in January 2019. However, he only started 13 Premier League games last season and has come off the bench in both of the Blues’ Premier League games so far this season.
Since Chelsea signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and is very interested in Everton’s Anthony Gordon, Pulisic may want to move to get more playing time before the World Cup. But the BBC says it’s unlikely that Chelsea will let Pulisic join a rival team, even on loan.
The Blues are close to loaning out Callum Hudson-Odoi, a winger who has been linked to teams like Newcastle, Southampton, and Borussia Dortmund.
The Numbers Matter
Only 15 league games were played last season by Hudson-Odoi.
Atletico Madrid turned down a €130 million ($A191 million) offer from Manchester United for Joao Felix. Instead, the 22-year-old attacker was bought from Benfica for £113 million in 2019, and Madrid immediately put a huge €350 million ($A514 million) release clause on a player they see as the long-term face of the team.
Reports say that people from Manchester United flew to Madrid to talk about a possible deal with Atletico officials and Felix’s managers. However, the Spanish club gave them the cold shoulder.
In 24 league games last year, Felix scored eight goals and set up four more. United has already been linked to Matheus Cunha, a 23-year-old Brazilian striker who plays with Felix’s team. Cunha joined Atleti from Hertha Berlin last year for £25.3 million, but he has already scored 10 goals in 29 league games in his first season in Madrid. Man Utd is said to have offered £42 million to hire him.
The club will make a second offer for Ajax star Antony this week. Antony has been a star for the Dutch club for the past two years when Erik ten Hag was the coach. United’s first offer this window didn’t come close to Ajax’s reported demand of €80 million, but they are now trying again because they are desperate. The team is still looking for Casemiro, a 30-year-old midfielder for Real Madrid. However, talks with Adrien Rabiot, a star player for Juventus that the club doesn’t want, have broken down.