Antonio Conte delaying

Nemanja Matic’s move

Matic are being held up by the ongoing transfer

power struggle at Chelsea, with Antonio Conte

insisting the Serb is replaced by two players.

The Italian does not want to allow Matic to leave

unless two new central midfielders are brought

to Stamford Bridge, and has threatened to resign

if his transfer plans are not met. The Red Devils

had hoped to conclude a deal for Matic as early

as this week, but, according to the Daily Record,

Conte is now dragging his feet over the deal.

Tiemoue Bakayoko is already on the verge of

joining from Monaco, but suggestions that his

arrival will automatically trigger Matic’s move to

Old Trafford are wide of the mark.

Instead, Conte wants the club to push ahead with

a deal for Roma star Radja Nainggolan, another

player that is being targeted by Mourinho.

That could mean United will be forced to end their

interest in the Belgian if they are to sign Matic,

though Chelsea’s hierarchy have so far been

reluctant to commit to signing two new midfielders.

Mourinho had been interested in the Brazilian, who

can play in midfield or at right-back, with some

reports claiming that United had agreed a deal for

a player who scored nine times in Ligue 1

last season.

But PSG have aggressively pursued a deal for

Fabinho according to the Daily Record, with the

Parisians fearful that Marco Verratti will be snapped

up by Barcelona.

The report also claims that Juventus, having

themselves baulked at Fabinho’s price tag, leaked

reports of a move to United to the Italian press to

gloss over their failure to sign him.