Man Utd Could Finally Sign £100m Star In January With A Little Help From Liverpool

The January transfer window is just around the corner and managers are working hard on possible deals or identifying targets for the summer so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest rumours. Today, Man Utd are linked with Kalidou Koulibaly…

Manchester United could pull-off a record £100m swoop to sign Kalidou Koulibaly after Napoli were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool this week, according to the Evening Standard.

Jose Mourinho was left frustrated in the summer after United failed to sign any of his defensive targets with the Red Devils reportedly making attempts to sign the likes of Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng and Toby Alderweireld.

Mourinho has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his squad with a top class centre-back this winter after enduring a difficult opening few months to the season and it looks like he’s ready to renew his interest in Koulibaly.

The Evening Standard claims Man Utd are plotting a fresh attempt to sign the Senegalese international when the transfer window re-opens in January after seeing two previous bids rejected by Napoli.

The Serie A outfit were initially reluctant to lose Koulibaly mid-season but United’s chances of securing a deal in January were boosted by the fact that Napoli were knocked out of the Champions League at the hands of Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is ready to back Mourinho with funds to sign a defender if the right deal can be agreed but the Evening Standard claims Napoli will demand a record £100m for Koulibaly’s signature.

That would smash the £75m Liverpool paid to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton and Man Utd obviously have the finances in place to pay huge money but it remains to be seen whether Woodward will sign-off a £100m deal.

Therefore, the report says Mourinho has lined-up Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar as a back-up target while a deal to sign Alderweireld could be resurrected as the Tottenham star will be available for just £25m in the summer.

If United are finally able to sign a new centre-back in January, it means they’ll have to sell at least one of their current crop with the futures of Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo called in to question in recent weeks after falling out-of-favour under Mourinho.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the coming weeks but Koulibaly would be a sensational signing if Man Utd could pull it off as he’s developed in to one of the best defenders in the world since joining Napoli in 2014.