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Marcos Rojo’s transfer to Manchester United held up by contract problems Argentina defender Marcos Rojo set to join Manchester United for £16m
(about 1 hour later)
Marcos Rojo’s proposed transfer to Manchester United is being held up by the defender’s complicated contractual position. The 24-year-old has more than one third-party part-ownership that has to be satisfied before the deal can be completed. Marcos Rojo will become a Manchester United player and sign a five-year contract subject to a medical, with the Argentina defender’s complicated third-party contractual position having finally been untangled on Tuesday night.
However, the movement of Nani in the opposite direction to Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan, which is to complement Sporting’s £16m asking price, is not considered a stumbling block. Sporting Lisbon confirmed that the 24-year-old will move to Old Trafford via their official Twitter account, with Portugal winger Nani moving back to his former club on a season-long loan: “#mufc has reached agreement with Sporting Lisbon to sign defender Marcos Rojo, subject to a medical and personal terms. A further announcement will be made when the process is complete.”
While United remain confident that Rojo will become their third signing of the summer, the player may have been hasty when discussing the transfer as a fait accompli with a radio station in his native Argentina. Rojo described the 20-times champions as his dream club. Rojo’s expected arrival means United have finally signed another player nearly three months after Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera were bought in June for a combined £55m. His signing for around £16m takes the club’s total spend so far in the current window to £71m.
Because English football does not allow third-party agreements, there is still considerable legal and contractual paperwork to be addressed by United, although club officials believe the deal will be concluded sooner rather than later. The United executive faced particularly complicated negotiations due to Rojo having more than one third-party entity with part ownership that had to be satisfied before the deal could be completed.
But sources at United say no one has had any contact or discussions with Ángel di María about bringing him to Old Trafford. The situation could change as the 1 September transfer deadline is less than two weeks away and United continue to try to strengthen a squad that has had no recruits since Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera were bought in June. With club sources characterising the deal as among the most intricate of United’s recent transfers – the Doyen Sports Investment player fund are understood to have had a significant financial interest in Rojo – there is relief at Old Trafford he will become the first player bought identified solely by Louis van Gaal since he became manager in the close season.
Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions, also hope to land Di María, on a loan deal after a permanent move fell through due to the fee demanded by Real Madrid. Although the Dutchman signed off the deals for Shaw and Herrera, both players had been identified by his predecessor, David Moyes. While United had remained confident that Rojo would become their third signing of the summer, the player is understood to have been hasty when discussing the transfer as a fait accompli with a radio station in his Argentina homeland on Monday. Rojo described the 20-times champions as his “dream” club.
Rojo had indicated his move to United was secured. “It’s a dream to play at Manchester United and I am very proud of having the chance of working with Van Gaal,” Rojo told the Argentinian radio station Continental. “I spoke with Juan Sebastián Véron about Manchester United when we were at Estudiantes. I have always liked English football, and I should adapt to this new playing style easily.” Although Rojo’s arrival is viewed as a formality, this contrasts with any potential move for Real Madrid’s Angel di Maria, with sources at United stressing that Van Gaal, the manager, or any other executive, is yet to have any contact or discussions with the player about taking him to Old Trafford.
Rojo addressed his recent refusal to train with Sporting to try to force the transfer through, saying: “There was a misunderstanding. I never wanted to do something wrong at Sporting as I have always been very thankful to that team that gave me many chances of playing in Europe. If I made a mistake I have already apologised because I didn’t want to hurt the feelings of anyone at the club.” The situation could again change as 1 September transfer deadline is less than two weeks away. Yet as Paris Saint-Germain remain hopeful of landing Di Maria, this time on a loan deal after a permanent move fell through due to Real’s demanded fee, the French champions are current favourites to sign him.
Shaw is out for around four weeks with a hamstring injury and therefore if Rojo does arrive he may slot straight into the team at left wing-back or as the left-sided central defender in Louis van Gaal’s 3-5-2 system. Rojo played left-back in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, which the nation lost to Germany. In the interview with Argentinian radio station, Continental, Rojo had indicated his move to United was secured. “It’s a dream to play at Manchester United and I am very proud of having the chance of working with [Louis] van Gaal,” he said. “I spoke with Juan Sebasti·n VerÛn about Manchester United when we were at Estudiantes. I have always liked English football, and I should adapt to this new playing style easily.”
United suffered their first home opening-day defeat of the Premier League era when Swansea City won 2-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday in Van Gaal’s competitive bow as manager. Gary Neville, the former United captain, believes that following the summer departure of three senior players new leaders need to emerge under the Dutchman. Of his recent refusal to train with Sporting to try and force the transfer through, Rojo added: “There was a misunderstanding, I never wanted to do something wrong at Sporting as I have always been very thankful to that team that gave me many chances for playing in Europe.
“Big personalities like Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have gone, and new leaders and characters need to emerge in the dressing room,” Neville said. “This is now the opportunity for Phil Jones, David de Gea, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera – players who’ve been signed – to become leaders and develop the mentality that they want to take over the mantle. “If I made a mistake I have already apologised because I didn’t want to hurt the feelings of anyone at the club.”
“That’s particularly true for the ones who have been there for a period of time. Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and Jonny Evans are the five obvious players who have won many honours between them, now they need to step up. The main thing is that the manager is a fantastic leader in his own right so he will demand that his players take more responsibility out on the pitch.” With Shaw out for around four weeks due to a hamstring injury, if he does arrive Rojo may slot straight into the team at left wing-back or as the left-sided central defender in Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 system. Rojo played left-back in Argentina’s run to the 2014 World Cup final, which the nation lost to Germany.