Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly pleading with Manchester United’s board to meet Porto’s £18 million valuation of Alex Telles before Monday’s transfer deadline, with the club offering just £12m so far.
United have only recruited midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax this summer, while their rivals around them have strengthened.
The club have so far failed to get their top priority target, Jadon Sancho, and are said to be looking at cheaper alternatives in Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele and Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos.
The Norwegian boss wants to bolster his options at left-back and has already given the green light for full-back Diogo Dalot to join AC Milan on lian.
Telles is wanted by the Red Devils, but so far they have only offered up £12m for the left-back, whose contract due to expire next summer.
The 27-year-old would be available on a free transfer in 2021, and United will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with the player from January.
According to the Sunday Mirror, if Porto don’t budge on their price, the Manchester club will aim to bring in the Brazilian for free next summer, but Solskjaer disagrees and wants the player immediately.
The report states that the Norwegian boss will be frustrated if the club miss out on Telles.
‘The club has been working,’ said Solskjaer on Friday.
‘They know my view. The transfer window is still open for a little while. If something happens in or out you will get to know.
‘There are many ways of improving a team. I keep reading about the players who should be playing instead of the ones who aren’t because they are performing well. That tells me I have a strong squad. There is competition for places.
‘We need results. That is the only way of affecting the mood at the club – the players and staff. All the rest is short-term moods.’
