Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Yaya Toure and Raphael Varane Rumours
By Rob Blanchette, Featured Columnist
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Scott Heppell/Associated Press
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Yaya Toure's agent has confirmed Manchester United andArsenal are both interested in the midfielder, but believes it would be "impossible" for Manchester City to allow his client a move to a major rival in the Premier League.
Dimitri Seluk told Sky Sports both Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger would like to sign the iconic powerhouse, but Toure has plenty of options on the table as he considers his next destination:
Yaya in January can sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs abroad. He will have many offers from clubs. China and America of course they want him but we will have a lot of offers from England and Europe.He is in very good shape, very good condition, I think he lost seven kilograms.Maybe that's not good enough for [Pep] Guardiola, but then Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn't good enough for him (at Barcelona).
Seluk's comments appear to be a sideswipe at the new Sky Blues boss, and the mention of United's interest will fan the flames before the upcoming Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Toure is still an exceptional talent in attack, but his style of play no longer suits City's mandate under Guardiola.
It is not beyond the realms of imagination that Mourinho would want a veteran talent who is such a dangerous operator in the opposition penalty box.
However, the 33-year-old City legend scored only six goals in 28 Premier League starts last term, according to WhoScored.com, as the Sky Blues struggled to win matches with their usual frequency.
Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol commented on Yaya's predicament at the Etihad Stadium:
Yaya Touré agent says Touré has been humiliated by Pep Guardiola. How do you humiliate someone when you're paying them £240,000 a week?
Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has revealed he turned down the chance to reunite with Mourinho at the Theatre of Dreams.
The player spoke with Canal+ (h/t Mark Critchley of the Independent) and confirmed the Red Devils' interest in him:
Of course it's flattering, Manchester United are a very big club.But from the moment when Madrid and I are in sync on my project, there's no questions to ask yourself.I have always said I feel good in Madrid. It's not easy to say "no" to Jose Mourinho, but you have to weigh up the pros and the cons.We're men, we have decisions to make and that's how it is
The 23-year-old struggled to hold down a place in the Real starting XI last term but featured in 26 games in LaLiga, according to WhoScored.com. Varane also started six matches in the UEFA Champions League as Los Blancos swept their 11th European Cup.
Here is Varane in action for his club:
[Video contains music with language NSFW]
The thought of Yaya in a United shirt is a peculiar one, but when it is considered that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba now play at Old Trafford, it proves any deal can reach fruition.
The City midfielder still has much to give the right team, but it is debatable whether he is the type of midfielder Mourinho would require as he rebuilds the Manchester club.
