Manchester United's chances of signing Valencia star Andre Gomes have been boosted after it has been found out that Juventus are facing an uphill task to sign the midfielder.
The Red Devils and the Old Lady are in the race to sign the talented midfielder. The 22-year-old is managed by super-agent Jorge Mendes and according to Sky Italia (via Talksport), the latter is unwilling to negotiate a deal with the Italian champions.
Gomes will make it to the European championship with Portugal and will then take a decision on his future after Euro 2016. He has set his sights on playing in European club competitions next season, something that cannot be achieved at Valencia as they are eighth in the table with 44 points, 11 points behind fifth place Athletic Bilbao.
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Juventus are keen on securing the Portuguese international's services and have already tabled a £23m deal to secure his signature. Valencia are looking to balance their books and are willing to let their player leave in the summer transfer window, reports the Spanish publication Marca.
Mendes has a very good relationship with the Old Trafford outfit, having several of his clients played for United. Thus, he wants to push Gomes to join the Red Devils as he could be playing under his other client Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician is set to sign a three-year deal with United, according to The Sun.
Napoli are also believed to be interested in Gomes. Earlier in January, a middleman Vincenzo Morabito dealing between the player's agency and also the Italian club admitted that Mendes will decide the midfielder's next destination.
"The are other problems, by the way, as the player’s future depends on Jorge Mendes [André Gomes’ agent]," Morabito told the Italian publication Calciomercato.
"Mendes is in business with Valencia’s president Peter Lim and in these cases the player’s will, unfortunately, is put on the back burner. Players become like properties to move somewhere else. We need to change this kind of rules in modern football.”
“Sure I am [referring to third party ownership]. Players are victims on these founds. The problem in this negotiation is Jorge Mendes. We are trying to talk to him more than with Valencia. But the transfer is up to him, maybe he’d prefer to sell the player to other clubs which are closer to him.”
