Manchester United transfer news and rumours: Adidas to help in £200m Lionel Messi move; De Gea given £50m price-tag; Hummels staying
A look at the latest potential ins and outs at Old Trafford this month
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With adidas set to become one of Manchester United's principle sponsors at the start of next season, the sportswear company are being linked with a deal to get Lionel Messi to Manchester.
Messi is the biggest name attached to the sportswear company and with the Barcelona superstar previously reported to be unhappy in Spain it could open the door to a move to Old Trafford. Messi could command a fee of £200million with adidas open to supplying some of that cash, apparently.
The (somewhat unreliable...) Spanish gossip website Fichajes is behind the story.
Speculation about Gerard Pique, who spent four years at Old Trafford, returning to United continues to increase, according to the Daily Express, with the club readying a £15m bid.
HEADING FOR THE EXIT...
West Ham and West Brom are expected to make a move for long-serving midfielder Darren Fletcher. The Independent's Ian Herbert has the full story.
THE DEAL'S OFF...
Manchester United will slap a £50m price-tag on Spanish No 1 David De Gea in an attempt to ward off interest from Real Madrid, according to the Daily Express. United could also offer De Gea, 24, a £200,000-a-week deal to stay at Old Trafford.
Yesterday, 99 per cent of United fans in a Supporters' Trust poll revealed they would rather keep the goalkeeper than move for Gareth Bale.
Mats Hummels has ended speculation linking him away from Borussia Dortmund, by stating he will stay at the club even if they fail to reach the Champions League.
"All those rumours are another issue I have never commented about. I've done that in the past, and I will continue to do so," Hummels told German newspaper Die Welt.
"Fundamentally, I don't need to play in the Champions League to be happy.
"Maybe we indeed lose players should we not qualify for Champions League, but what I can already tell you is that should we not lose 15 players at once, we'll still have a super team next season."
United and Chelsea have been dealt a blow in their attempts to bring Paul Pogba back to England from Italy.
According to Juventus director Giuseppe Morotta, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti’s claims that he didn't want the French midfielder were a 'white lie'.
"Ancelotti asked me some questions about Pogba," said Morotta. "He says he’s not interested? Well, that’s a white lie. I’m sure he has his reasons to say it’s not true."
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