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Man Utd transfer news: Jose Mourinho thought Ivan Perisic deal collapsed for secret reason
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho thought the club had a secret reason for refusing to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan, it has been said.
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Manchester United manager Mourinho was eager to raid Inter Milan for Perisic in 2017 as he plotted a way to jostle with Manchester City for the Premier League title.
The Croatia international was seen as a player who the Red Devils boss thought could add a new dimension to their attack.
Ultimately, though, the transfer collapsed. Manchester United chief Ed Woodward was the reason why.
The Red Devils supremo told Inter he would not meet their £48million asking price.
Instead, he was willing to pay £45m. Meaning Mourinho missed out on his man for just £3m extra.
And the Evening Standard say the 55-year-old is still furious the club failed to sign him.
It is claimed that Mourinho feels Woodward had a secret motive for not pursuing a deal.
And that is because the United boss reckons his chief didn’t want Perisic because he wasn’t a big enough name.
Woodward craves the arrival of football’s Galacticos.
And, since he succeeded David Gill as executive vice-chairman in 2013, he has brokered five big deals.
Angel Di Maria touched down from Real Madrid in 2014 for a then-British transfer record fee of £60million.
He was then joined by Radamel Falcao who, at the time, was one of the world’s best forwards.
Woodward famously paid £89million for Paul Pogba.
Man United target Ivan Perisic displays incredible skills
And then splashed out £75m on Romelu Lukaku.
Alexis Sanchez was the club’s last marquee signing, touching down from Arsenal in January.
All five of those players are big shirt-sellers.
And Perisic, it seems, wasn’t worth the effort from Woodward’s point of view, despite Jose Mourinho's eagerness to get a deal done.