Manchester United and Chelsea’s interest in Axel Witsel is in danger of coming to nothing after Zenit St. Petersburg had a bid rejected for PSV Eindhoven star Georginio Wijnaldum, reports the Daily Express.
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The Russian side want the Netherlands international to replace Witsel if he leaves for the Premier League, and if they don’t get their man it could mean that they don’t let the 26-year-old leave. With PSV having already lost Memphis Depay to the Red Devils this summer, they are unlikely to want to allow another of their main stars to depart. So this could be a serious dent to the English giants’ hopes.
The pair are after the Belgium international to bolster their midfields. It looks like the Stamford Bridge outfit could lose John Obi Mikel to fierce rivals Arsenal according to the Daily Star, so will be on the lookout for a replacement. Witsel could not only take over from the Nigerian, but he would also be an improvement.
Meanwhile United will need their squad bolstered after qualifying for the Champions League. The extra games plus heightened expectations in the Premier League mean that manager Louis van Gaal will need extra bodies in his squad. With Michael Carrick now 33-years-old he will likely need to be used sparingly, so Witsel could be an important addition to the team.