Ex-Real Madrid man is surprise target for Mourinho and Man United
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With a number of midfielders set to leave Manchester United this January, boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on bringing in Lassana Diarra.
The 31-year-old is currently at Marseille, but after starting the campaign with the captain’s armband, has barely featured in recent weeks.
Valued at just over £4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, Diarra could be acquired for a mere snip, especially with the likes of Morgan Schneirderlin set to depart.
The Frenchman looks set to move to Everton for £20m, freeing up squad space and plenty of funds for Mourinho to bring in his own targets.
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marouane Fellaini could also leave the club in the near future.
Signing Diarra would seem a little unusual however, with the Frenchman set to turn 32 in March.
And the story takes another turn when you consider that the midfielder and Mourinho paired up previously at Real Madrid.
Diarra made 43 La Liga appearances under Jose at the Bernabeu, before moving to Russia ahead of the Portuguese’s final season in Spain.
So they know each other well, and perhaps that’s exactly why the Special One wants him, as a safe pair of hands.
Mourinho clearly doesn’t rate either Schneiderlin or Schweinsteiger, while many have been surprised that Fellaini has played as often as he has.
Ander Herrera has become the de-facto holding man at Old Trafford, while Jose may well wish that Michael Carrick was ten years younger.
But with the club now on a 13-game unbeaten run – including a six-game winning streak in the Prem – it seems Jose is forging the side he wants to lead at Old Trafford.
That’s bad news for a number of outcasts, but it may explain why there’s more to this Diarra link than initially meets the eye.
The Red Devils are in Emirates FA Cup action this weekend, when they host Reading.
Mourinho’s men are 2/9 favourites to get the job done, against the Championship outfit now managed by former United legend Jaap Stam.
All Odds are correct as of the date of publishing
