Manchester United Transfer News: United Reportedly Making One Last Bid for Lucas

Manchester United's long-standing transfer target Lucas Moura has caused plenty of frustration for Red Devils fans right around the world about whether or not he will end up making a move to Old Trafford.

It's been the epitome of on-again, off-again, as United try to sign the talented teenager from Brazilian club Sao Paulo and according to latest reports, United are believed to be considering one final offer, according to The Metro:

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Manchester United are set to make a final take it or leave it offer for Sao Paulo wonder kid Lucas Moura.

The Red Devils have been locked in negotiations for 19-year-old Lucas for the last two weeks, but are now ready for a final round of make or break talks in a bid to resolve the deadlocked situation. 

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is desperate to land the all action midfielder - rated as one of the biggest talents in South America - but is refusing to match Sao Paulo's £30 million price tag. 

Ferguson has already failed with an opening £20 million bid, after sending chief scout Jim Lawlor and club secretary John Alexander out to Brazil to broker a deal, and now wants a decision on whether the player will move to Old Trafford by the end of next week.

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With Lucas set to shine for Brazil at the current 2012 London Olympics, it is expected that his future will be decided after the conclusion of the tournament—though the latest information coming through is that United want a decision made on the transfer target immediately.

The Red Devils have been chasing Lucas for some time now but are looking increasingly unlikely to land the talented teenager after both the player's agent and the club's director have confirmed that negotiations between the two parties have stalled.

The player's agent told www.uol.com.br (via Eurosport UK) earlier this week:

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They [Manchester United] have reached their limit—they will not offer any more. He [Lucas Moura] will not leave, he is happy in Sao Paulo.

This matter has to be terminated, there is no possibility of him leaving now. Manchester United made an offer—which was refused—and will not do another because they came up to their limit...

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The news was also then backed up by Sao Paulo director Adalberto Baptista, who hinted at the crossover between the English and Brazilian transfer windows as a reason behind the breakdown in negotiations—telling ESPN Brazil (h/t Goal):

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There are no negotiations going on. Everybody knows we got an offer for him and rejected it. It's also known that Lucas [Moura] doesn't want to leave.

The decision is final. There will always be great teams going after great players—the mismatch between European and Brazilian transfer window makes it hard for national clubs, and we have to deal with that...

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Whilst no new information about the reported new bid that Manchester United are believed to be putting together, it would have to be in the vicinity of £30 million to force Sao Paulo into selling their talented youngster.

Lucas is a promising player and has a bright future ahead of him, but I simply cannot see Sir Alex Ferguson paying such a high price for a player that hasn't really proven anything yet. 

I expect the Red Devils to wait and see how Lucas goes at the Olympics and whether he can perform on the international stage before making a final call as to the amount they will put forward in their final offer. 

I've hinted at before that I don't see this deal going through—it's just too much to pay for an unproven youngster—and it seems that it will take the full summer transfer window to reach an agreement on whether or not Lucas Moura will be making a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Make a call: Is Lucas Moura coming to Manchester United this summer?

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