Man Utd transfer news: Jose Mourinho will make move for Alex Grimaldo

The green light has been given for Jose Mourinho to pursue Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo, according to Metro.

The paper says the United boss has had his scouts check out the 22-year-old on several occasions this year. The reports received have been so favourable that the Old Trafford board has given Mourinho the go-ahead to make the Portuguese club an offer they can’t refuse.

What sort of offer? Well, Metro reports that Benfica signed Grimaldo from Barcelona for a modest €1.5million (£1.3m) in December 2015 but they now value him at an eye-watering €40m (£36m).

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Whether United would be prepared to meet that asking price for the young defender is a moot point, but Mourinho is known to be on the lookout for a new left-back having allegedly decided that Luke Shaw no longer cuts the mustard in his matchday squad.

Meanwhile in Spain, Real Madrid star Casemiro is apparently also on the radar of Mourinho. The Sunday Express claims that the Special One, still seething from Saturday’s shock 2-1 defeat to Huddersfield, is ready to offer the 25-year-old midfielder “a huge salary to convince him to leave the Bernabeu”.

Taking its cue from the Spanish publication Don Balon, the Express says that Mourinho is so anxious to sign Casemiro that he will offer him the same salary as Paul Pogba. That means the Brazilian playmaker could pocket £290,000 a week at the Red Devils, but according to sources at Old Trafford that’s a small price to pay for a player of Casemiro’s quality.

The Express says that Mourinho is “a long-term admirer of Casemiro” having worked with him during his time in charge of Real Madrid. He believes the South American would bring a touch of magic to Manchester.

It’s reported that Paris Saint-Germain tried to sign him last summer but their advances were rebuffed. The challenge United will face is in persuading Real to part with a player they hold in high regard.

If they fail to prise Casemiro from Madrid, The Sun claims that United will make a bid for Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler. Priced at £30m, the Spain Under-21 star is one of the most exciting young talents in La Liga. The paper says that Soler is seen by as Mourinho as “a long-term contender to play alongside Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic”.