After the arrival of four players for huge fees and salaries in the summer, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly interested in placing a bid for Bayern Munich’s David Alaba.
Mourinho has been stand-offish with current first-team left-back Luke Shaw, after the youngster had pulled out of a game stating injury. Although Mourinho has cooled down rumours about his supposed feud with the English youngster, the Portuguese manager has supposedly keen to bring Alaba to Old Trafford.
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The Manchester United manager has recently watched Alaba two times in the international break, when the left back's Austrian team played Slovakia and Ireland. According to the Sunday People, Mourinho wants to bring the versatile player, who can play in left full back or midfield positions.
Manchester United aren’t the only club pursuing the full-back as Mourinho’s former club, Real Madrid, have been interested in the Austrian for many seasons, and United will have to fend off serious interest from the Madrid club.
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Mourinho will have to pay big bucks to prise away Alaba from the German champions, as the Austrian is contracted till 2021 with Bayern. The 24-year-old joined Bayern Munich in 2008 from Austria Wien as a 16-year-old, rising through the U-17 and U-19 ranks before becoming a permanent fixture in the Munich line-up in 2011.
Alaba’s incredible versatility came to the fore during Pep Guardiola’s stint as Bayern Munich manager, where he played several roles in the full-back positions, central midfield and attacking midfield positions and central defensive positions as well.
The Austrian has played over 200 times for the German club scoring 20 goals and has also played 50 times for the Austrian national team.
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The Sunday People has also reported that Mourinho is interested in signing Alaba’s Austrian team-mate Julian Baumgartlinger, a midfielder playing for German club, Bayer Leverkusen. The Austrian midfielder moved to the German club in the summer of 2016 from Mainz.
Mourinho has publicly questioned the commitment and mentality of a few of the United players this season which was criticised by the PFA. Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling bore the brunt of criticism from their club manager who said, “There is a difference between the brave, who want to be there at any cost and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference.”
This outburst by Mourinho has led to rumours about both Shaw and Smalling being shown the exit door.
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