Manchester United Transfer News: Joao Mario, Sergio Busquets, Latest Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly preparing to make an offer for Sporting Club midfielder Joao Mario, with Arsenal also said to be keen on the Portugal international.

That’s according to A Bola (h/t Jamie Styles of the Daily Star), which claimed, after sending scouts to watch the player on Saturday, the Red Devils are now willing to part with £24.5 million to make Mario a United player.

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the very best players in the Portuguese top flight. Here is a look at some of the best moments from his campaign to this point:

The midfielder has been at the creative crux of this Sporting XI, who remain in a battle with Benfica for the title.

Deployed at the core of the side, he’s been so decisive with the ball at his feet, with an impressive six goals and 11 assists from midfield. What’s also impressed is Mario’s intelligence in tight spaces, his ability to ghost past opponents and willingness to put in a shift defensively as well.

Sport Witness’ Jan Hagen posted the following after Sporting’s brilliant 3-1 win over Porto on Saturday night:

The middle of the park isn’t a position in which United need major reinforcements, but a balanced operator like the Portugal international would certainly aid in the creation of chances for forward players. Additionally, as a player who is still young and making refinements to his game, Mario would fit the blueprint the Red Devils are seeking to instil.

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One established midfielder who has been linked with the Red Devils in the past is Barcelona man Sergio Busquets, per Sport (h/t Max Miller of Metro). However, according to L’Equipe (h/t Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson), it seems unlikely the midfielder will be going anywhere:

That’s no great surprise, as Busquets has long been one of the most important players in the Barcelona squad.

Squawka Football summed up just how important the 27-year-old is to this team:

If United do possess genuine intentions of landing the Spain international, then surely it’s time to turn their attentions elsewhere. Busquets will not be sold for a penny under the aforementioned release clause amount, and even if that amount were to be met, it would be a shock to see him leave for a side who look unlikely to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

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The Red Devils have also been linked with a move for Leicester man N’Golo Kante recently, with the Daily Star’s Paul Hetherington stating he’s a "major target" for the club. 

However, the Foxes, who were crowned champions of England on Monday, don't want to let any star men leave after their memorable campaign. "We are not selling anyone," said vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha on Thai television, per the Associated Press (via the Guardian). "We are not a team who produces players to be developed later by other teams."

Kante has been one of the star men for the Foxes this term with his dynamic midfield play. His team-mates, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, picked up the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year awards, respectively; FourFourTwo’s Seb Stafford-Bloor thinks the Frenchman should have been honoured, too:

United would naturally benefit from a player who offers so much both defensively and in attack. But it seems the Foxes are keen to preserve this core of talented players who have yielded so much success. You could understand why Kante and others would be happy to stick around.

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Still, if the Foxes’ resolve is to be tested by some big-money bids before next season, it would be intriguing to see whether they would hold firm. A player like Kante, who has been so crucial to the cause, would be almost irreplaceable, regardless of the fee he might attract.