Manchester United are reportedly confident in sealing a deal for Southampton forward Sadio Mane, despite being told he is not for sale.
The Senegalese international has emerged as a shock transfer target for the Red Devils after their £22million deal for Barcelona winger Pedro was sensationally hijacked by Premier League rivals Chelsea [via Marca].
Losing out to the Blues will certainly be a huge setback for United manager Louis van Gaal as he is clearly keen to bolster his attacking options before the transfer window closes next month.
A move for Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller looks increasingly unlikely [via Guardian Sport] and that has led to reports via Mail Sport suggesting United launched a £15million bid for Mane last week.
It’s understood that Saints have told their league rivals that the 23-year-old is not for sale at any price and club officials have denied receiving any offers for the forward and insist there has been no contact as of yet with the Red Devils.
However, Mane is reportedly keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer and United are positive about their chances of signing the player, who netted 10 goals for the South Coast outfit during his debut season in England.
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