Manchester United Transfer News: Rumours on Marquinhos, Paulo Dybala

Manchester United have contacted the agent of Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos amid rumours the young centre-back is talking to his current club about a contract extension, according to RMC Sport (h/t Goal's Mark Doyle).

The player's representative, Giuliano Bertolucci, previously confirmed the Red Devils had expressed an interest in his client, via Doyle, even suggesting the defender might be on the move at the end of this season:

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Last summer the president of PSG [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] stated that Marquinhos was unsellable; we will see what he thinks next June.

So many [clubs] want him, including Manchester United. What is certain is that Marquinhos wants to become the best defender in the world.

He is still not at the level of Thiago Silva and David Luiz, so for this reason he respects the choices of the coach.

But he doesn't want to spend much more time on the bench. If necessary, he can play also as a full-back or a wide midfielder.

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Bertolucci isn't just talking to United, however. As shared by Get French Football, per RMC, he's also discussing a contract extension from PSG for the 20-year-old Brazil international:

Marquinhos moved to the French capital from AS Roma in 2013 and has impressed in the 2014-15 campaign, taking full advantage of a series of injuries to the starting central duo of Thiago Silva and David Luiz.

Silva is arguably the best centre-back on the planet, and Luiz joined the French outfit during the summer, coming with a hefty price tag. Displacing either in the starting XI is a monumental task, which will always lead to exit rumours.

On this occasion, those rumours seem like little more than a tool the player's agent can use in contract negotiations, however. Creating a transfer buzz around a client is a great way to increase his value, and with reports PSG want to offer Marquinhos a new contract, it's not hard to make the link.

Marquinhos' age and fast progression in Serie A led to a big-money move to France, where he joined the world's most expensive back four, via Get French Football:

That progression hasn't slowed down, and with Silva turning 31 this year, Marquinhos is both a fantastic bench option for the immediate future and a natural replacement when his compatriot starts to regress.

It would take a massive offer to poach the Brazilian from PSG, and unless a top club battling for European trophies is willing to offer him an immediate spot in the starting XI, it's hard to see the youngster signing off on a transfer to begin with.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson can't see a move materialising:

Marquinhos has been playing more minutes since his agent spoke about United's interest, and it would be a shock if he doesn't commit to a new contract before the end of the season.

Palermo President Mauro Zamparini told Tuttosport, via Goal's Stefan Coerts, that Juventus have informed him they will be suitors once he decides to sell young starlet Paulo Dybala and that he prefers to keep the Argentinian in Serie A for as long as possible:

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There has not been any contact with Napoli but it is true that (Giuseppe) Marotta has been in touch for Juventus.

He told me that Juventus will be right there if we decide to sell Dybala. They are very much interested in signing him and are ready to open talks.

I told him that I would be more than happy to sell Paulo to Juventus if possible. I would actually prefer for him to stay in Italy.

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The Red Devils are among a host of clubs reportedly scouting the forward, per Coerts, with ITV Football claiming Chelsea have already made an offer for the 21-year-old:

Dybala has burst on the scene with a series of fantastic performances for Palermo this season, and the speedster has the look of a future superstar. He's an excellent finisher and has incredible vision for such a young player, but he needs to work on his weaker foot and could stand to gain some weight.

Zamparini loves to talk—just check out this tweet from beIN Sports' Tancredi Palmeri—and has been drumming up interest in his star striker for months, preparing for a likely bidding war in the summer:

Juventus are the undisputed top team in Italy right now, but on a financial level, they can't compete with the giants from the other European top leagues. If a club like United makes a significant offer for Dybala, Zamparini is not going to give the Bianconeri a discount for the sake of keeping the youngster in Italy.

As for Dybala himself, he has his eyes set on bigger things, per Goal UK:

The Dybala transfer saga is only going to heat up in the coming months, particularly if the young star continues his fine form, so expect plenty more comments and declarations from Zamparini.

Ultimately, Palermo will do what they did with Edinson Cavani, Javier Pastore and Amauri: They'll sell to the highest bidder, irrespective of which club that might be.

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