Jose Mourinho has given Manchester United the green light to push ahead with a £35million move for Mesut Ozil this month, according to reports.
The Mirror claim the Old Trafford boss will tempt old foe Arsene Wenger into selling the German World Cup winner before his contract runs out in the summer.
Mourinho wants a deal this month but is said to fear a bidding war with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
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Both sides remain keen on the 29-year-old playmaker, who has settled into a fine run of form for Wenger.
United’s owners, the Glazer family, are said to be prepared to hand Mourinho £80m to splash this month – however other reports have claimed to the contrary.
A £35m move for Ozil would therefore still be under half his allotted funds for the start of 2018.
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With Wayne Rooney no longer draining the club of £300,000-a-week, it is claimed Ozil will want similar recompense.
SunSport told you how Mourinho himself will sign a new United deal – if the transfer policy at his club changes.
The Portuguese wants clear-the-air talks with the hierarchy over the Red Devils’ approach to buying and selling players.
He believes he personally should have a bigger say on what money is spent and on whom after complaining that the £300m already forked out by him is not enough to win the title.
Mourinho has a number of targets he would like to bring in immediately including Tottenham’s Danny Rose or Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon at left-back.
Also on his wishlist are midfielder Thomas Lemar, right-back Fabinho, both at Monaco, Bordeaux winger Malcolm and Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney.