Manchester United are reportedly stepping their efforts to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan in a £45 million deal this summer.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Ed Woodward has stayed back in Manchester even as the Manchester United squad has embarked on the pre-season tour to the USA. Woodward is attempting to close the deal to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan for around £45 million by next week.
Perisic joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2015 after having spent four years in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg. In the last two years though, the player has established himself at San Siro, having been one of the shining lights in an otherwise mediocre Inter side.
Nerazzurri have failed to qualify for the Champions League for both of the seasons that Perisic has been in Milan. The Croatian winger, however, enjoyed a good campaign last season, as he turned in a respectable return of 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.
Ivan Perisic’s Serie A season by numbers for Inter:
36 games
203 crosses
61 chances created
41 take-ons
37 tackles won
11 goals
8 assists pic.twitter.com/CFr0SydUb1— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 8, 2017
His time at Inter though, looks set to come to an end this summer, with Manchester United hot in his pursuit. The Premier League heavyweights have, in fact, been monitoring the player for a long time now, and Jose Mourinho has launched the offensive to land the player ahead of the 2017/18 season.
The Portuguese manager is believed to be keen on adding genuine quality in wide areas in his side after Anthony Martial struggled to fit into his system last season. Jesse Lingard is used as a squad player, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata do not provide width and pace when used on the wings.
Thus, Perisic has been identified as a player who, with his proven record and years of experience can solve Mourinho’s width woes. And at 28, the player will also provide his best years at Old Trafford, making him an ideal solution in attack.
The transfer fee, though, has been proving to be a stumbling block in ensuring the completion of the deal with Inter Milan not budging from their £50 million valuation of the Croatia international. Manchester United, however, are confident that their latest £45 million offer will be a deal clincher after their previous bids were turned down.
Ed Woodward has not joined the Manchester United squad in the USA to close the deal for Perisic, who has joined Inter in their pre-season training in Northern Italy. The Red Devils, though, are confident that the move will be completed by next week upon which the player can join the squad in the USA.
