Given Manchester United's lack of goals this season, it would appear to be perfectly understandable that Jose Mourinho is targeting attacking options ahead of evolving his team into one capable of challenging for the Premier League title, this season.
However, given that United have also missed enough chances to win the league about seven times over, this campaign, it's also a little odd to hear that United are in 'advanced contact' with a forward player who isn't named Antoine Griezmann, who Jose Mourinho has identified as his priority target for the 2017/18 season.
Granted, Zlatan Ibrahimovic may never play for the club again following his knee ligament injury suffered in last week's Europa League quarter-final with Anderlecht and club captain Wayne Rooney is also likely to leave Old Trafford in the Summer, but with Griezmann at the top of Mourinho's shopping list and reportedly more than willing to leave Atletico Madrid for United, is there really any need for an attack of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba advancing from midfield and potentially Griezmann to be supplemented any further?
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It would appear so, if France Football's latest report is to be believed.
The French daily have reported that United are in "advanced contact" with Portuguese play maker Bernardo Silva over a deal worth £42.5m.
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Silva, of course, is a client of Jorge Mendes, who also acts as the agent of Jose Mourinho and has been responsible for securing the transfers of several of his clients to United over the years including, most notably, Cristiano Ronaldo as well as Nani, Anderson, David De Gea, Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao (on loan) and Mourinho himself. Oh, and Bebe.
This man could be set to make a lot of money from Manchester United, once again. Image: PA
Silva has, along with many of his Monaco teammates, emerged as one of the finest young talents on the continent this season, scoring nine goals in 48 appearances for the Ligue 1 leaders, who he's also helped into the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 13 years.
Silva has been one of Monaco's most important players, this season. Image: PA
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Silva has been linked to United previously over the past couple of months, although not quite as seriously as this. A move for the 22-year-old may even indicate that a deal for Griezmann is off the table and Mourinho is investigating other options.
(H/T Get French Football News)
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Topics: Football, Manchester United, Bernardo Silva, AS Monaco
