According to the Metro and The Sun, Manchester United are ready to bid £47.6 million for 25 year old Roma center-back Kostas Manolas. However, Roma are reportedly holding out for a larger transfer fee before they would be willing to sell their star defender.
Manolas has been a key player for Roma this season, starting 15 of their 19 league games so far this season. He is excellent in the air, and he is a strong passer, and he would be a stellar addition to this Manchester United team.
If acquired, Manolas would likely move into the starting XI for Manchester United immediately, as he is the elite level center back that Jose Mourinho has been looking for.
The bad news for Manchester United is that if they want to acquire Manolas, they will likely need to pay more than their current £47.6 million bid. Manolas is a star player on a team that is currently in second place in Serie A, so it is not going to be easy to get Manolas to Old Trafford during the January transfer window.
While a deal to acquire Manolas during this transfer window seems unlikely, it is possible that Mourinho can revisit this deal after the season is completed.
