Manchester United transfer news and rumours: Ricardo Rodriguez, John Stones and Cristiano Ronaldo
£30 million bid lined up for Ricardo Rodriguez; Laurent Blanc as potential replacement for LVG; continued interest in John Stones; Ronaldo rumours denied
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Your support makes all the difference.Reports suggest a £30 million bid for Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez is on the cards as Manchester United look to beef up their back four.
The German newspaper Bild believes the Manchester club have set their sights on the Swiss international who has developed a reputation as one of Europe’s best full-backs.
Although the 23-year-old has also been linked with United’s European rivals, Real Madrid, Rodriguez claims he’s heard nothing from the Spanish giants.
“I’ve not heard from Real. I don’t know if there’s anything in it,” the left-back said. “Even my manager has said nothing to me, so there is nothing new.”
Given United’s current defensive injury crisis, this could be music to United’s ears.
It’s not just players who have been flying about the rumour mill. The French publication LE10Sport claim United are considering Laurent Blanc, PSG’s current manager, as a replacement for LVG.
The Frenchman’s contract at PSG is due to expire in June and as of yet, no contract extension has been signed.
At 40/1, Blanc joins a long list of names who have been linked with the Red Devils including the likes of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
Squeaky bum time for LVG it would seem.
United continue with their interest in Everton’s John Stones.
The Red Devils have supposedly been keeping an eye on Stones ahead of a potential summer bid which would have to top the £38 million fee offered by Chelsea.
But the Manchester side face stiff competition for the 21-year-old in the form of Chelsea and now Real Madrid too.
Back in December, Rio Ferdinand urged his former club to pull out of all the stops in order to land the much-coveted defender.
“I don’t care how much it is, you get him,” he said. “ You are getting a player for 10 years.”
Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane has crushed United’s dreams of a reunion with their old poster-boy Cristiano Ronaldo after firmly stating that the Portuguese international won’t be leaving the Bernabeu. No surprises there.
In what would have been a staggering multi-million transfer deal, United have been allegedly keen to bring back their star man.
But Zidane said: “It’s not just that [Ronaldo] isn’t for sale…he’s the heart and soul of this team. I laugh because as long I’m here, he isn’t going anywhere.”
And the rest of the Premier League is laughing with you Zidane. Given their recent form, it’s unlikely Ronaldo will be wanting to return to Manchester any time soon.
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