Manchester United have held ‘several conversations’ about signing AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu, but a deal is far from being completed.
That’s according to Sky Sport Germany, who provide the latest update in a transfer rumour that is threatening to become something of a saga.
Calhanoglu was first linked with a move to Old Trafford back in October, with it claimed that United were willing to offer him a five-year deal so long as joined on a free transfer.
There’s been several updates on the potential transfer since, with the story hopping between being a real thing to absolute nonsense.
This week saw it pretty much dismissed in Italy, with Calciomercato reporting that contract negotiations between the player and AC Milan had become something of a chess game.
The claim was that it was his wage demands holding things up, but he was talking with his agents to bring those down and had admitted to his friends that his intention was to stay with the Serie A club.
The suggestion was very much that Manchester United’s name was being used in an attempt to force Milan into accepting less favourable terms.
That’s not quite the tone from Sky Sport Germany today, but they go very much against the previous claims from Germany too.
They state that according to their information, there are no ‘intensive negotiations’ between Milan and Calhanoglu over a new deal.
Therefore, it’s looking increasingly likely that he may leave and Manchester United are one of those showing an interest.
There have been ‘several conversations’ about a possible move, but the ‘financial aspects’ have not been clarified at this moment in time, and so a move is ‘not yet close’.
In addition to that, United already have Bruno Fernandes, who is described as a ‘world-class player’ in that position and so it seems unlikely United would need or want another player there.
In short, it seems claims of a deal being agreed or even close were very much wide of the mark, with sources in Italy and Germany now both insisting that is not the case.
Indeed this entire rumour has Manchester United being used by an agent written all over it, and unless there is a drastic change, it seems unlikely he’ll be making the move to Old Trafford any time soon.
