Manchester United switch midfield targets from Monaco to Chelsea £40m man — reports

At least a couple reports on Tuesday regarding Manchester United’s pursuit of midfield reinforcements switching primary targets from AS Monaco’s Fabinho to Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic or Tottenham’s Eric Dier, the former of whom certainly sound like the more likely acquisition, especially once Chelsea wrap up the Tiemoue Bakayoko transfer.

The Manchester Evening News thinks that £40m — almost twice as much what Chelsea paid three and half years ago — could “tip” the balance in United’s favor and overcome the reluctance that Chelsea have about selling another player to a direct rival. They claim that Matic is “open to a move”.

Goal’s Nizaar Kinsella also talks about an initial reluctance on Chelsea’s part, in addition to Matic having just bought a house in London and thus not agitating for a move up north. One report says he’s keen, the other says the opposite!

Matic had been linked with Juventus recently as well, but that rumor seem to have died a swift death. But the Mourinho-reunion stories remain, even if for now they are nothing more than idle chatter.