What’s the story?
Manchester United are set to undergo a major squad overhaul in the summer and according to reports from The Independent, Jose Mourinho has prioritised signing Chelsea star Willian over Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale. The Portuguese manager is a huge fan of Willian’s talent and sees the Brazilian as a more reliable option than the injury prone Welsh winger.
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Mourinho worked with Willian at Chelsea where the Brazilian soon established himself as one of the best players in the team. Blessed with good pace, trickery and a great engine, Willian is exactly the kind of player Mourinho craves to play on the wings.
Although reports state that a potential transfer for Gareth Bale could well go through this summer, the Manchester United manager himself is said to prefer the dependable Brazilian over the flashy Welshman.
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The heart of the matter
With Chelsea in the Champions League next season, it remains to be seen whether Antonio Conte will sanction the sale of the 28-year-old in the summer transfer window. The Premier League champions themselves will be looking to strengthen and it will be interesting to see whether they add any more firepower to the Chelsea forward line.
However, if the move does go through, it will not be the first time in recent past that a player would have moved from Chelsea to Manchester United. Juan Mata made the move to Manchester United for £37 million after struggling for playing time at Chelsea ironically under Jose Mourinho.
Bale is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world when he is fit, but his constant injury concerns and the physical demands of the Premier League seem to have tilted the scales in favour of Willian.
What’s next?
Manchester United are making some serious plans for the transfer window, but a lot will depend on whether they qualify for the Champions League next season. With the Red Devils out of the race for top 4, Mourinho will be hoping that the Premier League giants get the better of Ajax in the Europa League final.
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Author’s take
While Willian has struggled to find regular playing time under Antonio Conte this season, there is no doubting the fact that he is one of the most effective players in the Premier League at the moment. Also, Willian is expected to cost around £45 million and will come at a much more affordable price than Gareth Bale for Manchester United.
