Man Utd learn where Javi Guerra ‘priority’ lies as truths emerge over ‘verbal agreement’

Manchester United have learned that their wish to sign Javi Guerra may not be quite as advanced as previously suggested amid claims the midfielder prefers to remain at Valencia – though the LaLiga side could yet force his hand and hand the player to the Red Devils for a discounted fee.

The Red Devils are finally ready to focus on strengthening other areas of Ruben Amorim’s squad after wrapping up the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for a fee of £71m earlier this week. And while any further arrivals at Manchester United will depend on player sales, director of football Jason Wilcox, alongside the manager, has made plans to welcome in three more signings at Old Trafford – and hopefully before the new season gets underway with a tasty home clash against Arsenal on August 17.

To that end, David Ornstein has confirmed the next three targets at Old Trafford will be a goalkeeper, a new striker to lead the line and a central midfielder to cover the exit of Christian Eriksen and to ultimately displace Casemiro, who now has under a year left on his deal.

As a result, reports this week have claimed United have already ‘reached a verbal agreement’ with Guerra to transfer to Old Trafford from Valencia.

And with his deal due to expire in two years, Los Che are open to the 22-year-old’s sale in a bid to ease their financial difficulties.

Those talks gathered further pace on Wednesday after it was claimed that Guerra had greenlit the transfer and has said yes to a summer move to Old Trafford.

However, the move might not be quite as advanced as previously reported, per new information emerging in Spain.

And according to Onda Cero, Guerra’s priority remains on staying at the Mestalla and will only leave if shown the door.

‘Javi Guerra is clear about it. Unless they show him the exit door and force him to leave, he wants to stay more years at the Mestalla club and become an important player,’ journalist Victor Lluch writes.

And in contrast to Cristhian Mosquera, who has rejected a new deal and made clear his wish to join Arsenal, Guerra is not willing to leave unless he is forcefully shown the door.

‘Guerra knows first-hand he is a key piece in the Valencian coach’s scheme, and that the team is going to pivot around his football.’

Meanwhile, Lluch has also moved to play down talks that a ‘verbal agreement’ over a move to United has been reached…

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‘Verbal agreement’ for Javi Guerra to join Man Utd played down

Claims of an agreement with United had seemingly stemmed from Guerra’s failure to negotiate a new deal at the Mestalla, though as Lluch explains, the Spain Under-21 midfielder’s priority remains on extending his terms as a priority.

‘Financially, the offices are willing to make an effort to give him what they consider fair: an ascending contract that would put him among the most valued in the squad in recent years.

‘At the moment, the negotiation point is in the first year after the renewal.

‘If they manage to reach an agreement on that initial year, the renewal is closer.’

With an apparent asking price of just €27m (£23.4m, $31.7m), it was easy to see why United were attracted to his potential signing.

Having risen up through the ranks at the Mestalla, the stylish midfielder has gone on to make some 89 senior appearances, scoring eight goals in that time and since his debut in the 2021/22 season.

Appearing in 78 matches over the last two seasons, he has become a mainstay of their midfield – and his importance to them is clearly not lost on the player, whose first intentions seemingly remain on staying loyal to the cause.

Despite Guerra’s wish to stay, though, Valencia’s financial needs could yet force his sale and the situation is understood to remain one that United are very much aware of and continuing to monitor.

Man Utd do have other midfield options, but new Kobbie Mainoo doubts emerge

Thankfully, United do have other midfield options under consideration this summer and our transfer insider, Rudy Galetti, reported earlier this week that Amorim had also green-lit a spectacular deal to bring one of his former Sporting stars to Old Trafford.

However, an update on that story on Wednesday revealed Manchester City had burst into the race and were ready to pay a fee close to the player’s exit clause at the express wish of their new sporting director Hugo Vianna.

At the same time, United are also reportedly monitoring the situation around Douglas Luiz, and his failure to return to training with Juventus this week will likely enhance speculation that the former Aston Villa man could be on the move.

However, United currently trail Everton in that race with the Brazilian’s likely asking price coming to light.

A worrying update, though, on Thursday morning claims United are risking the exit of talented midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as contract talks have completely stalled, with a report giving Tottenham Hotspur a genuine chance of completing a deal.

Javi Guerra stats show why Man Utd are so keen