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Football

05th Aug 2018

Manchester United set to sign one of their top targets in the next 48 hours

They're leaving it late

Darragh Murphy

This might bring a smile to Jose Mourinho’s face but, then again, it probably won’t.

Jose Mourinho has been grumbling this summer about the lack of signings that Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has managed to bring in.

United spent big on Brazilian midfielder Fred, while Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant are believed to be no more than back-up options.

Last week, Mourinho vented about the fact that his transfer wishlist has gone ignored and, according to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils boss is “mystified” by Woodward’s treatment of him this summer.

“I would like to have two more players,” Mourinho said. “I think I am not going to have two.

“I think it’s possible I am going to have one. It’s possible. And that one I gave a list to my club five names a few months ago, and I wait to see if it’s possible to have one of these players.

“If it’s possible it’s possible. If it is possible good, if it is not possible we keep fighting and working and believing in the players that we have.”

With time running out in the transfer window ahead of next Thursday’s deadline, it’s now being reported that United are set to finally sign top target Toby Alderweireld.

The Mirror claims that a breakthrough has been made between the Red Devils and Spurs with regards to the valuation of the Belgian defender and a deal is set to be reached in the next 48 hours.

Mourinho had prioritised the signing of a new centre-half in the window but up to now, the clubs reportedly remained £10 million apart on their respective valuations of Alderweireld, who has one year left on his current deal.

But with the defender prepared to run down his contract, it makes sense for Spurs to cash in now and it’s claimed that the deal will be done for around £60 million in the next couple of days.