Napoli have agreed a deal worth £25.4m (€30m) with Manchester United for Scott McTominay which could aid the Red Devils’ pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
The fee includes a significant sell-on clause but the deal depends on McTominay agreeing personal terms with the Serie A outfit.
McTominay, a Manchester United academy product who has scored 29 goals in 255 games for his boyhood club, came off the bench for the final 11 minutes of United’s 2-1 loss at Brighton on Saturday.
He has entered the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, with United holding the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months.
While the club’s move for PSG’s Ugarte will not be totally dependent on a sale, it is thought a permanent McTominay departure would make it easier to do.
United remain in talks with PSG over Ugarte. Both clubs prefer a permanent move over a loan for the Uruguay international but a loan containing an obligation to buy is not out of the question.
Napoli are also pursuing McTominay’s fellow Scotland international Billy Gilmour and want to do both deals, but signing the Brighton midfielder as well as McTominay may require a sale.
The club are also attempting to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, with Victor Osimhen potentially heading in the other direction in a separate deal.
Juve in talks over Sancho loan
Meanwhile, Napoli’s Serie A rivals Juventus remain in talks with United over a deal for forward Jadon Sancho.
Juve want to sign Sancho on loan, while United’s preference is a permanent deal – or a loan with an obligation. However, a compromise cannot be ruled out.
United will need to weigh up the positives of a potential loan given there are only five days left in the window.
A loan move for Sancho would take the majority – if not all – of his wages off the books. Furthermore, United would get a loan fee.
Sancho’s contract situation is an additional factor – the player has two years left on his current deal with an option for a further year.
Getting regular first-team football could help maintain Sancho’s market value and United will still have breathing space next summer.
Sancho travelled to Brighton for United’s game on Saturday, but was left out of the matchday squad.
Juventus are in the market for three wingers. Aside from Sancho, they are on the verge of signing Porto’s Francisco Conceicao and Fiorentina’s Nico Gonzalez.
Conceicao will arrive on a straight loan, while Gonzalez is a loan with an obligation to buy.”
