Krishnan Sreekumar
Jose Mourinho wants to raid former club Manchester United for Nemanja Matic, Eric Bailly, and Diogo Dalot in the summer
According to newspaper Corriere dello Sport (h/t Daily Mail), Jose Mourinho is keen to raid his former club Manchester United in the upcoming summer transfer window as he looks to sign Nemanja Matic, Eric Bailly, and Diogo Dalot.
The Portuguese coach is currently in charge of AS Roma, and is looking to invest in his squad in order to improve the team and turn the side into a group of talented players that can compete for silverware next season.
As part of this investment, Mourinho is said to be eyeing Premier League players to add to his squad as he appreciates such stars for their ‘dynamism, quality, and strength‘. He has managed to get the best out of Tammy Abraham and Rui Patricio as well this campaign, signing them from Chelsea and Wolves respectively.
He now intends to head back to the English top-flight for more stars to sign, and has targeted four PL players that he believes will bring value to his Roma team. Out of this quartet, three players currently ply their trade at Old Trafford, while the fourth is revealed to be Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz – one of Mourinho’s favourite players.
Mourinho keeping close eye on United rebuild
With United looking to rebuild their squad in the summer and cast out players that have been deemed surplus to requirements, the incumbent Roma manager is keeping a close eye on developments as he hunts for bargain buys. Although he is aware that these kinds of stars may not be considered top players, he is of the opinion that they would improve the experience and quality of the whole team.
There is expected to be a major defensive reshuffle at the Theatre of Dreams, and Bailly and Dalot could prove to be collateral damage. This works well for Mourinho, who believes they would be cheap purchases for his team. Further, with Jordan Veretout expected to leave the Italian capital at the end of the season, Mourinho could look to once again sign Matic – a player he has previously snapped up for two different teams and continues to be a loyal servant.
Having spent the majority of his coaching career in England managing teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho knows what kind of attributes and attitude to expect from players who play in the Premier League.
Further, targeting players who are no longer needed at their present clubs is a smart tactic employed by the Portuguese coach, who will expect these stars to be hungry for success and playing with an itch and desire to prove others wrong.
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This is seen in his current Roma side as well, in the cases of Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Although he did not sign these players from United himself, they have proven to be a hit at the Stadio Olimpico after being cast out by the Manchester club.
Although he will be getting a veteran in Matic, the player will be available for free in the summer, which could prove to be a bargain buy. Further, 28-year-old Bailly is in the prime years of his playing career and 23-year-old Dalot has much to develop and improve, making them good investments for Roma.
