Lucas Moura’s agent has confirmed that Manchester United will attempt to sign the Paris Saint-Germain forward in January.
United were close to acquiring his signature back under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson before the Brazilian opted for the Parisians.
Jose Mourinho, the current Red Devils manager, also missed out on his signature whilst coaching Real Madrid even going as far to personally contact Wagner Ribeiro the player’s representative.
“Who called Lucas Moura there (Madrid), who wanted Lucas Moura wasn’t Florentino (Perez). It was Mourinho,” Ribeiro told ESPN Brasil.
“Mourinho was, is, passionate for Lucas Moura. So much so that now at Manchester he wants Lucas as well.”
Since joining the French giants in January 2013 for a reported £34m he’s made 175 first team appearances scoring 29 goals and creating a further 36.
In his time at the club he’s seen PSG cement themselves as the dominant force in French football becoming a champion in each of the last four seasons.
A potential arrival will increase competition in United’s attack. The 24-year-old nominally a right winger is capable of playing on the other flank as well as a deep-lying forward and centre-forward.
Mourinho has an array of talent at his disposal on the flanks.
So far, after five official Premier League matches in charge, the Portuguese tactician has used Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the position Moura is most comfortable.
Mourinho’s three main targets for January transfer window – Antoine Griezmann, James Rodriguez and now Moura – all invoke a similar dynamic, shedding light on the type of approach the 53-year-old wants to adopt at Old Trafford.
All three possess the same propensity for bursting forward with creativity and panache, ruthless in their attempts to pin opponents back through the simple quality of raw energy on the ball.
Moura, a highly rated, fundamental aspect of PSG’s attacking line-up, would be a difficult player to prise from Unai Emery. But if this summer’s transfer window has taught us anything, it’s this: Mourinho gets who he wants.
The Brazilian is best known for his great skill and blistering bursts of pace. He is a difficult man to mark for defenders, often using his superior speed to pull defenders out of position and creating chances with the open space.
The physical aspect of Moura’s game should also not be ignored, as he displays strength and balance against defenders. He is a true attacker with power, speed and excellent dribbling ability that defenders absolutely must account for.
Meanwhile, it’s time for Jose Mourinho to prove he still has what it takes, as the Portuguese boss brings a wounded Manchester United down to Hertfordshire on Sunday.
The Red Devils made eight changes in the Europa League match against Feyenoord on Thursday night, and put in a hugely disappointing performance – one which led many United fans to draw parallels with Chelsea last season.
Such judgements seem highly premature, particularly given the wholesale changes to the XI who started on Thursday. Wayne Rooney was among the players rested – and rarely have United been in more need of a positive showing from their skipper. Rooney himself, of course, needs a big performance to justify his continued presence in the team.
They could scarcely wish for better opponents, however. United beat Watford twice last season; the Hornets haven’t beaten United since 1986.