Reports: Manchester United interested in £44m rated Swedish midfielder

What's the story?

If Jose Mourinho has proved anything to the world, it is that he is a hustling go-getter. So when the Portuguese man publicly announces that he needs a winger, he will try to land one by hook, line or sinker. According to Calcio Mercato (via The Daily Express), subsequent to getting rebuffed by Inter Milan in a bid to sign the Croat, Ivan Perisic, United have now turned their attention to RB Leipzig's 25-year-old Swedish International Emil Forsberg for whom they are willing to offer £44.7m.

In the words of the United boss, "I want an attacking player, especially one that can play through the wings to give me more attacking options."

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With the Red Devils' intention as clear as day, Inter Milan have been trying to milk the Old Trafford outfit by telling them that they need a Martial plus cash deal for Ivan Perisic.

Owing to Martial's intermittent sparks of genius, Mourinho is reluctant to give up on him. United have been linked to a whole host of wingers ever since and Gareth Bale is the most prominent name on the list.

The heart of the matter

Anthony Martial's below par showings barring his sporadic brilliance has left a breach in one of the United wings. Mourinho has been actively trying to sign Ivan Perisic but with Inter making brutish demands, the deal has come to a dead-stop.

Manchester United have now shifted their field of vision to Germany and are reportedly interested in offering a whopping amount of money for Emil Forsberg from RB Leipzig. The 25-year-old is no downgrade on Perisic and the Swedish international scored eight goals and raked in an impressive 19 assists and has been a formidable force down the flanks for Leipzig who ended their campaign as runners-up in the Bundesliga.

Forsberg, who can cross with either foot, is gifted with a quick pair of feet and has the ability to test the keeper from long-range. Like most of the wingers of the modern era, Forsberg likes to cut inside and has the flair to take on a couple of defenders and then some.

Leipzig have already rejected two bids made by Liverpool for Naby Keita. They insist that none of their best players are on sale as they look to continue being a force to reckon with in the Bundesliga. It'll be difficult to convince them to let go of Forsberg who has been one of their best creative outlets and pivotal to their exploits this past campaign.

Whether or not this is one of those Mourinho gambits intended to harry Inter into going easy on their demands remains to be seen.

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Author's take

Emil Forsberg has been at the heart of Leipzig's ascension and the team from the Eastern part of Germany will need a lot of money to be convinced to let go of one of their talismans. United have only made two signings so far this off-season and Mourinho insists that there should ideally be two more. Clearly, money has lost the ability to tamper with United's aspirations as we have seen in the recent past.

If Perisic won't sign, Jose will go all in for Forsberg and at 25 years of age he is definitely one for the future and United will have got the better of the bargain.