Manchester United have reportedly been rebuffed in their approach for Federico Valverde, with Real Madrid rejecting a €60 million bid.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Federico Valverde looks set to stay put at Real Madrid for a long time. The Spanish giants have knocked back an offer worth €60 million from Manchester United, even though Florentino Perez was considering accepting it.
Federico Valverde has made solid progress since joining Real Madrid from Penarol in July 2016. While he is still not a resounding first-choice midfielder for Real Madrid, the Uruguayan midfielder has established himself as an important first-team squad member.
The 23-year-old has turned out 125 times for Real Madrid to date, chipping in with six goals and seven assists in the process. Valverde’s performances have helped him become a regular for the Uruguayan national side. He has also emerged as a target for several European bigwigs, including Manchester United.
The interest from Manchester United comes in the wake of the uncertainties surrounding the future of Paul Pogba. The Frenchman has entered the final six months of his contract with the Premier League club and looks set to depart Old Trafford as a free agent.
Pogba’s uncertain future has forced Manchester United into the market for a midfielder. And even though Valverde will not be a like-for-like replacement for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, he will add some much-needed solidity in the middle of the park for Manchester United. The Real Madrid midfielder is thus a viable target for the Red Devils.
The English giants have reportedly submitted a bid worth €60 million to sign Valverde from Real Madrid. But while Florentino Perez was open to accepting Manchester United’s offer, he has had to turn it down, as Carlo Ancelotti has declared the 23-year-old indispensable to his squad.
By the looks of things, Valverde will not be leaving anytime soon, with even an offer higher than €60 million unlikely to convince the Real Madrid manager to sanction his sale. Manchester United will thus have to identify alternatives for the 23-year-old, with James Ward-Prowse among the midfielders to have emerged on their radar.