Jose Mourinho refuses to rule out a move for Benfica's Victor Lindelof as Manchester United gear up for busy summer transfer window
* Manchester United are exploring a £35million deal for Victor Lindelof
* United boss Jose Mourinho is currently on holiday in Portugal but was asked about the Benfica stopper
* Mourinho was coy about the 22-year-old and said he wouldn't be commenting
* United have also drawn up a number of replacements for David de Gea
Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out a move for Benfica defender Victor Lindelof as Manchester United prepare to begin their summer transfer business.
United were exploring a £35million deal for Lindelof in January, and it’s understood that Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes met with Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira last week at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester where the United boss stays.
Mourinho is currently on holiday in Portugal but was asked about Lindelof after giving a lecture at a university on the outskirts of Lisbon.
A smiling Mourinho was coy about the 22-year-old Sweden centre back, insisting that it would be disrespectful to Benfica coach Rui Vitoria to discuss his player in public.
He said: ‘I will not say if I want him or not, I think it’s incorrect.
‘Rui is not going to be happy with another club manager talking about a player who is his, and the president would not be happy to see that.
‘Lindelof is theirs and as long as he’s theirs, he’s theirs.’
Manchester United are interested in Benfica's £35million central defender Victor Lindelof. Jose Mourinho has refused to comment on a possible move for Lindelof
Meanwhile, United have drawn up a list of replacements for David de Gea if the Spain goalkeeper signs for Real Madrid this summer.
Real are expected to make their move after winning the Champions League at the weekend, and it’s understood that United would consider selling De Gea at a premium price.
The shortlist of targets is thought to include AC Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Inter’s Samir Handanovic and, possibly, Joe Hart.
United, who will sell Sam Johnstone this summer, are also admirers of Atletico Madrid No.1 Jan Oblak. However, the transfer ban that hindered their pursuit of Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann is likely to rule out any move for Oblak as well.
Any negotiations for De Gea could involve Madrid striker Alvaro Morata who is a leading candidate to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old former Juventus striker is valued at £50m – substantially less than Everton’s Romelu Lukaku – and has been linked with a return to Italy with AC Milan.
Mourinho reiterated that he has tried to step back after a long season and is leaving the club’s transfer negotiations to executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
‘I got fed up and tired of football before the last day,’ he said. ‘I promised that they would not see me in football stadiums, and I stopped negotiating for players and being worried.
‘I gave my list to the CEO in April and he has until August 31 to give me what I want or not.’
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