Old Trafford side line up move to capture Goodison Park & Nou Camp duo.
Man United have set their sights on Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini and Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas, moves that would cost the Old Trafford side a fee in the region of £49m according to the Guardian.
Belgian international Fellaini is strongly linked with a move to follow former Toffees boss David Moyes to the Premier League title holders.
The 25 year old is said to have a £23m release clause that would see a significant portion of the sale of the powerhouse midfielder going to former club Standard Liege. Fellaini has enjoyed five solid seasons at Everton but may now be ready to make the ‘step-up’ to a side that can offer him Champions League football.
New Everton boss Roberto Martinez is hopeful of keeping Fellaini at Goodison Park, stating;
“He’s still a very young man but I am really looking forward to seeing Marouane working hard and making sure that he sets really good standards,” he said. “Marouane is an international footballer and he’s going to be involved, if all goes well, in a World Cup next year.”
Fellaini netted a dozen goals in all competitions last term but has also recently talked up the possibility of evolving into a more defensively minded midfielder, a role that Moyes may well be seeking to use the Everton man in due to the lack of tough tackling options in his Man United squad.
Moyes has also launched a £25m bid for Spanish international Fabregas who has been consistently linked with a move away from the Nou Camp this summer.
The 26 year old, though a regular in the La Liga side’s starting eleven, was left out by Tito Vilanova for some key fixtures last season.
Arsenal are said to have the first option on a move to re-sign Fabregas but it is thought that the goal-scoring midfielder would be more likely to consider a move to Man United if he were to leave the Catalan club for a second time.
The fact that Vilanova has now sold Thiago Alcantara to Bayern Munich, another Man United target, would presumably decrease the the likelihood of a Fabregas exit this summer though the former Gunners captain may well ask for some assurances about his future at the Nou Camp.
With Paul Scholes retiring for a second time, Darren Fletcher recovering from illness and Brazilian Anderson failing to make a consistent impact in the Man United side there is certainly scope for additions to strengthen the club’s options in the centre of the park.