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Manchester United refuse to meet Porto’s £64m Diogo Costa asking price Football

Manchester United refuse to meet Porto’s £64m Diogo Costa asking price

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Diogo Costa has a £64m release clause(Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Manchester United are refusing to activate a £64million release clause in Diogo Costa’s contract and are instead trying to negotiate a lower price with Porto.

The goalkeeper is at the top of United’s wishlist to replace David De Gea this summer.

The Spaniard is out of contract at the end of the month and, despite verbally agreeing a new deal, an extension is yet to be signed.

It comes after Erik ten Hag refused to guarantee De Gea would remain first choice following his mistake in the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City, where he failed to keep out Ilkay Gundogan’s second half strike.

De Gea’s distribution has been criticised under Ten hag, and Costa is one of the best at Europe with his feet.

Costa’s distribution is first class (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

The 23-year-old is already Portugal’s number 1 and he has a clause in his contract that makes him available for £64m.

However, United are refusing to activate that clause, according to A Bola.

Instead, the club are attempting to negotiate a lower fee with Porto in order to conserve their summer budget.

Ten Hag has been given roughly £120million to spend, though he can top that up through player sales.

The Dutchman wants to sign a striker and a midfielder, with a goalkeeper considered a priority behind those two positions.

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Manchester United pushing to complete free transfer of Juventus star Adrien Rabiot Football

Manchester United pushing to complete free transfer of Juventus star Adrien Rabiot

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Adrien Rabiot is set to become a free agent next month `(Photo by Berengui/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Manchester United are pushing to complete the free transfer of Juventus star Adrien Rabiot, who is out of contract in June.

Juventus agreed a fee with United for the France midfielder last summer but his wage demands saw talks breakdown.

United signed Real Madrid ace Casemiro instead, while Christian Eriksen also arrived.

However, Erik ten Hag retains a strong interest in the former Paris Saint-Germain ace and L’Equipe say he’s spoken to Rabiot about a move to Old Trafford.

With the Frenchman’s deal in Turin set to expire next month, United could sign Rabiot for free and would be more willing to meet his salary demands as they wouldn’t have to put up a fee.

Rabiot was keen on a move to United last summer. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

It’s claimed United are now pushing hard to sign Rabiot and that he’s considered an ‘important objective’ for Ten Hag.

Another key target is Harry Kane, who could cost around £100m should Tottenham consider selling to United.

That price, in part, explains why United are keen on Rabiot as they can sign a World Cup winner in a cut-price deal.

United will consider offers for Scott McTominay this summer, while it’s uncertain whether they will look to make Marcel Sabitzer’s move to the club a permanent one.

Rabiot is enjoying his best campaign with Juventus, having scored 11 in all competitions for the Old Lady this term.

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