Conte is playing a dangerous game of transfer chicken with the Chelsea board (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Nemanja 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 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.

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.

Conte does not want to lose Matic until two world-class midfielders have been signed (Getty)

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.

United have also been dealt another blow after Fabinho opted to join Paris Saint-Germain over the Red Devils.

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.

Mourinho will miss out on Nainggolan and Fabinho, while the Matic deal is stalling (Getty)

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.

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