Matteo Darmian wants to leave Manchester United but has no bids close to his valuation, reveals boss Jose Mourinho.
According to reports, Juventus are interested in the full-back, who joined Manchester United from Torino in 2015. He enjoyed a solid debut campaign under the Special One but last season he was rarely used as he managed to make only eight Premier League games.
Inter Milan is also interested in Darmian but Mou says none of the clubs are closer to the defender’s valuation. The 28-year-old captained Manchester United during Thursday’s International Champions Cup clash against AC Milan where the Red Devils drew 1-1 and went to win 9-8 on penalties.
When asked why Darmian was skipper for the match, which United won 9-8 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, Mourinho said: “Because he is a fantastic guy in my two years and with Mr. [Louis] Van Gaal before me.
“He is the kind of guy who is always ready to give what he has, he grew up in AC Milan and to play against his childhood club and be captain in a friendly has a nice meaning.
“Matteo wants to leave and I think when a player wants to leave, if the right offer arrives you have to try to be human and let the player follow his instinct but not at any price. And, until now, the offers we got for Matteo are not even close to being accepted,” he added.
Mourinho admits it could be useful to keep Darmian around as he stands to have selection problems at right-back at the start of the season.
Injuries to Antonio Valencia and new signing Diogo Dalot mean Ashley Young and Victor Lindelof, who are on holiday following their World Cup exploits, could be rushed back to full fitness for the Premier League opener against Leicester City on August 10.
“Valencia is injured, you are right,” Mourinho said. “And he will be injured for the beginning of the Premier League. Diogo Dalot is also in a recovering phase, he will not be ready for the beginning of Premier League.
“Ashley Young is a possibility to play right-back but is on holiday. I don’t know if he fancies to be back for that and put himself to be available for the team or stay on holiday. Victor Lindelof is a possibility; he is not a right-back but is a possibility. He starts training next Monday.
“I will send people to Manchester to train with Victor, it makes no sense for him to come to the United States. So, if Matteo leaves he leaves because the right offer arrives and if he stays, yes you are right, he can be important for us.”
Darmian signed for Manchester United in 2017 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £12.7 million. He signed a four-year contract with an option to extend it for a further year. He made his debut for the club against Club América during preseason on 17 July 2015, playing the first 45 minutes, with United winning 1–0. He made his Premier League debut on 8 August 2015 as the season opened with a 1–0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, with manager Louis van Gaal selecting his performance as the best of the match.
On 10 September 2015, Darmian earned his first official accolade at the club, after he was voted Manchester United’s August 2015 player of the month. “It’s important to know this is from the fans,” Matteo told United’s official website. “I want to thank them. I am happy. I also want to thank my team-mates and everyone at the club for making me feel welcome.”
In his twenty-seventh league appearance of the 2015–16 season, on 20 April 2016, Matteo scored his first Manchester United and Premier League goal, a powerful volley from the edge of the penalty area, in a 2–0 victory against Crystal Palace. He was presented with the club’s Man of the Match award for his performance in this fixture and hailed his 55th-minute strike as the best goal of his career, thus far. His cross, in the fourth minute of play, had also previously forced an own goal from Damien Delaney.