Manchester United are upping the ante in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan. Reports emerged today that the club is willing to negotiate a deal with the Spanish side to secure his services.
The potential transfer would see Turan move to Old Trafford in exchange for Shinji Kagawa and £16 million, according to The Express.
Man Utd ready to offer Shinji Kagawa PLUS £16m to land Atletico Madrid star Arda Turan
The Red Devils have been linked with Turan throughout the summer. He has been one of the standout players for Atletico Madrid over the past season, which saw them win La Liga and reach The Champions League final.
Impressive performances in those competitions led to speculation that he could leave to join the Manchester club over the summer, but that interest appeared to die down as the club instead targeted Arturo Vidal of Juventus.
With a possible deal for Vidal up in the air, interest in Turan has intensified. However, Atletico Madrid are believed to want around £30 million for the player.
Instead, Manchester United are prepared to offer Kagawa in part-exchange. Atletico have already shown their interest in a deal for the Japanese attacking midfielder, giving hopes to club executives at Old Trafford that a potential transfer is possible.
With new manager Louis van Gaal looking to overhaul his squad, The Express suggests that Kagawa could be one of the players that does not feature in the Dutchman’s plans for the upcoming season.
Kagawa has been on the fringes of Manchester United since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2012. He has failed to nail down a regular spot in the starting line-up and has spent the majority of the time playing on the wings rather than in his favoured central role. A move to Spain, where he could play regularly, is likely to be favourable to the Japanese international.
If a deal could be negotiated, Manchester United would get a vastly experienced forward who has played at the highest level for a number of years. Turan has excellent technique and is able to beat players with skilful dribbling or with pace.
Let’s see some Turan magic. Manchester United fans: a good investment?
