Manchester United Transfer News: Blaise Matuidi Summer Rumours Emerge

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly identified Juventus star Blaise Matuidi as a top midfield target for the summer.

According to Italian outlet Rai Sport (via TalkSport), the 30-year-old's fine form has impressed Mourinho, and the United boss is willing to test Juventus' resolve to keep him.

Matuidi only joined the Bianconeri in the summer but has quickly become a regular in midfield as the preferred partner for Miralem Pjanic.

The France international is extraordinarily adept at cleaning up the midfield battles, allowing Pjanic to focus on creating chances.

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He has a similar role with the national team, where he has proved he can be highly effective playing next to Paul Pogba. Mourinho has struggled to unlock the latter's full potential at Old Trafford, and perhaps the arrival of Matuidi could change that.

Juventus are not likely to give up the Frenchman without a fight. They had to battle hard to bring in Matuidi, and former club Paris Saint-Germain knew at the time they were losing an important part of their team:

Juventus have a number of promising prospects in midfield, including the likes of Rolando Mandragora and Rodrigo Bentancur, but the Italians are in win-now mode and need the experience and raw ability of Matuidi.

The former PSG man has adapted to Italian football without much of a hitch, showcasing his versatile skill set. While he's mostly known for his defensive work, Matuidi has stood out as a passer and has chipped in with a couple of goals as well.

Those strikes were no easy tap-ins, either:

A summer move seems unlikely but not impossible. United have the financial might to meet any valuation Juventus might have for the player, and the Italians operate with a liberal transfer policy: If a player wants to leave, he can, as long as the price is right.

Dani Alves only lasted a year in Turin before he moved to PSG, and Kingsley Coman was granted a move to Bayern Munich after a single season as well.

Juventus chief executive Beppe Marotta has been open about the club's approach, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Goal's Enis Koylu).

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Will Matuidi be next? Time will tell, but the Frenchman has so far maintained he's perfectly happy in Turin, dropping no hints he wants to leave.

If that changes, Juventus will likely ask for a hefty transfer fee―despite the player's age.