If recent reports are to be believed, Manchester United are hot on heels of Ligue 1 duo, Blaise Matuidi and Bernardo Silva. A thrilling season in the French league, which has been adjacent to some outstanding displays from Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco in Europe, has thrown up some hot transfer prospects to look for. And United are reportedly willing to splash a whopping £80 million on them.
Manchester United’s hopes of finishing in the top four and qualify for the Champions League are getting slimmer every week, especially through the Premier League. The Red Devils had yet another lack-lustrous display against relegation battling Swansea City last week as they lost a hard fought one goal lead to Sigurdsson’s stunning free kick.
United currently sit fifth in the league table collecting just 65 points from 34 games. While they are just one point behind Liverpool and Manchester City, they have Arsenal breathing down their neck with a five-point gap and one game on their hands. And while United still have Europa League to play for, winning which would get them access to Europe’s elite tournament, it has always been an uncertain prospect to rely on.
After consecutive poor seasons, United’s owners are leaving no stones unturned to get them back the lost stature and have sanctioned Mourinho a hefty war chest to approach the upcoming transfer window. And among many top players feature the French league duo.
While Matuidi hasn’t had the season to remember this campaign, Silva is living the dream with Monaco leading the Ligue 1 table and having qualified in the Champions League semis. Matuidi has been Paul Pogba’s midfield partner in national colours and although PSG has offered a contract extension to the 30-year-old, he is keen on holding talks with United now.
Having him alongside Pogba could be impactful considering the chemistry they share, and given the frustration Marouane Fellaini has been piling on the manager’s psyche throughout the season, the midfield seems to go under heavy remodelling. A defensive midfielder by nature, Matuidi’s aggressive style of play and good physical presence could solve lots of United’s problems next season.
Silva, on the other hand, is a delight to watch at the moment. He has scored six goals and assisted 11 times so far, this season in the 33 league appearances he got. A right wing by nature, which is essentially taken by Henrikh Mkhitaryan now at United, Silva can play through the middle too. His pace on the ball and exquisite finishing makes him an invaluable asset to have on the side.
However, United are not the only one eyeing them with the competition getting hotter ever week, and United will reportedly have to cough up £30 million for Matuidi and £50 million for Silva, to secure their signatures before anyone else.
