Manchester United do not feel the need to take up Chelsea's offer of face-to-face talks after £55m bid rejected for Mason Mount; United are re-focusing on other targets including Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo; United target Adrien Rabiot signs new one-year deal at Juventus
Friday 30 June 2023 07:47, UK
Manchester United's £55m bid for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount remains on the table but an impasse in talks has led United to refocus on other targets, including Brighton's Moises Caicedo.
United are thought to be comfortable with their bid for Mount, which was rejected on Friday night, and at this stage do not feel the need to take up Chelsea's offer of face-to-face talks.
Chelsea have made a counter-proposal of £58m plus £7m in add-ons in exchange for Mount, and are prepared to meet United in person to try and come to a positive resolution.
But an impasse in talks means United are now re-focusing on other targets with one of those being Brighton midfielder Caicedo.
United had also retained an interest in Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, but the 28-year-old has signed a one-year contract extension at the Italian side.
The Frenchman was out of contract with Juventus at the end of June, but despite interest from United, Rabiot has opted to remain at the Old Lady for another year.
The Frenchman also came close to moving to Old Trafford last summer but one of the reasons the deal did not happen then was because Juventus could offer Champions League football, whereas United could not.
England international Mount has one year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge and is understood to be keen on a move to Erik ten Hag's side.
But it has been suggested United will not increase their £55m offer after their third bid was rejected. It was also understood United were open to negotiating if they received a positive response from Chelsea.
United must now decide if that response is positive enough to bring them back to the table or walk away and pursue alternative targets.
Due to Financial Fair Play rules, it is unlikely United could spend a huge portion of their budget on one player - especially as they have other areas they want to strengthen.
For that reason, they are looking at a number of other options in midfield. Potential sales of players would, however, increase their spending power.
The futures of captain Harry Maguire, Fred, Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial - among others - are being discussed internally. Fulham have shown an interest in Fred, but valuations are apart.
Meanwhile, a big priority for United this summer is recruiting at least one new striker.
Interest remains in Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund after initial contacts between the clubs. Interestingly, the 20-year-old is expected to change his representation.
The future of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea remains "in the balance".
The 32-year-old will be out of contract next week and is on United's released list while talks over a new deal continue.
It is understood the Spaniard and United are considering their options.
United have made initial contacts with Inter Milan over Andre Onana, and have looked at Brentford's David Raya and Porto's Diogo Costa.
While boss Ten Hag has publicly backed De Gea, he cannot guarantee he will be No 1 next season if he was to stay.
Sky Sports' Nick Wright
"Graham Potter used him, successfully, as a left-sided No 8 at the start of the season following a transitional first year which included a loan spell in Belgium with Beerschot. But Roberto De Zerbi, Potter's successor, dropped him back to the base of midfield, even deploying him, at times, as a makeshift right-back.
"Caicedo excelled wherever required, starting 34 of Brighton's 38 Premier League games and playing a crucial role in the most successful season in the club's history, the statistics helping to underline the extent of his influence in and out of possession.
"As a ball-winner, he is among the very best in the division."
Read more of Nick Wright's feature on Caicedo here
Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
