Manchester United’s plans to sign Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini appear to be over after the Italian outfit agreed to sell Kevin Strootman instead.
Strootman has been a target for United in the past but it would now seem that he is on his way to Marseille in a €25million deal.
The sale of the Dutchman is bad news for Jose Mourinho, as a deal was believed to be in place for United to land his central midfield partner Pellegrini in the new year. With Radja Nainggolan already gone and Strootman on his way, Roma will not part company with Pellegrini any time soon – according to the report on Calciomercato.
The news will come as yet another blow to the beleaguered United chief, who missed out on a number of his top transfer targets this summer.
However, despite an inconsistent start to the new season – Mourinho firmly believes that he has the answer to his side’s struggles.
Fancy the best United news direct to your Facebook timeline? Like our dedicated Manchester Utd Facebook page.
Mike Phelan doesn’t believe Jose Mourinho is looking for a way out of Old Trafford but concedes that he is doing himself few favours with his actions.
The Manchester United boss has been urged to rein in the outbursts at Manchester United and avoid seeking conflict, with Phelan stating that the Portuguese’s situation is “delicate”.
It has been a testing start to the new season for the Reds and rumours of unsettlement in the dressing room has only made the situation worse. Mourinho no longer sees eye-to-eye with Paul Pogba and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Moreover, Phelan, who worked as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant years after playing for United, feels Mourinho’s confrontational attitude is doing nobody any favours.
Phelan said: “Any manager of any big institution, which is what Manchester United is, internationally, you have a role and a responsibility to give out the correct messages.
“You don’t have to avoid conflict, but you certainly have to conduct yourself in a way which is befitting of the tradition of where you’re working, and that’s something you can do by keeping your own counsel and getting on with the job.
“But he [Mourinho] is a completely different character and he expresses himself in a completely different way.
“There are opportunities to say things and there are opportunities to keep it to yourself. He chooses one way, and with that there are consequences in what you say.”