Manchester United transfer news and rumours: Adidas want deal for Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola; £18m Aleksandar Dragovic deal close

Who has been linked with a move to United today?

James Orr
Thursday 14 January 2016 09:25 GMT
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Lionel Messi greets Pep Guardiola in 2012
Lionel Messi greets Pep Guardiola in 2012

Reports emerging from Spain this morning state that Manchester United sponsor Adidas will help reunite Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola in a sensational double deal.

Madrid-based newspaper Marca say Adidas are ready to fund the deal to build success at the club which they have paid a world record fee to sponsor. Earlier this year, on 4 January, Adidas's CEO criticised United's style of play, with the club languishing in sixth place in the league.

The German sportswear giants have signed to a massive £750m 10-year deal to provide United with merchandise and kit, and the staggering report from Marca claims that Adidas will pump in more money to the club to secure the deals for Messi and Guardiola.

Adidas chief-executive Herbert Hainer said last month: "The current playing style of Manchester United is not exactly what we want to see."

The report states: "According to several sources in the United Kingdom, sportswear giant Adidas, who sponsor both Messi and Guardiola, are prepared to dig deep to reunite the player and his former coach at Old Trafford next season."

Messi, 28, is Adidas's flagship player and won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies under Guardiola.

Elsewhere, United are set to bid £18m for Dynamo Kiev defender Aleksandar Dragovic. An £18m deal for the 24-year-old has been agreed, according to Italian outlet Mediaset, and the club are "just hours away" from completing the transfer.

The Austrian moved to Kiev from FC Basel back in 2013, and has since become an integral part of the Ukrainian side.

United are leading the race to sign Algerian striker Islam Slimani from Sporting Lisbon.

A report in The Sun claims that United have been assessing the 27-year-old for a long while, and he is one of Van Gaal's main targets in this transfer window.

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