Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has given the club the green light to sell Nemanja Matic to Manchester United in a deal that could reach £50million.
The Red Devils were close to signing the Serbian earlier this month but Romelu Lukaku’s decision to reject the Blues for Old Trafford complicated matters.
Antonio Conte accelerated deals for Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko to compensate for missing out on Lukaku and Alvaro Morata is set to arrive on a £71m deal.
The Blues will now look to recoup some of their spending and Matic remains desperate to move to United, where he will link-up with his old boss Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho on Man Utd's transfer window
‘When I look to the team and Lukaku, Lindelof, I would like my squad to be here, my whole squad, if you manage to get one more player – I’m not even crying for two – if we get one player as soon as possible,’ Mourinho said after United’s 2-0 win over Manchester City in Houston, Texas.
‘Because we can see Lindelof is in a team, Lukaku is in a team, the understanding between the players, the Paul [Pogba] pass, the way Lukaku holds the ball. But the preparation is fantastic.’
United have had bids of £35m and £40m rejected for the midfielder but Abramovich has stepped in to give the club permission to sell to a direct rival, according to the Telegraph.
The Russian has done so in an act of goodwill towards Matic for the Serbian’s role in Chelsea’s title-winning campaigns in two of the last three seasons.
The midfielder’s transfer to Old Trafford is now thought to be close to competition and the Red Devils will have to splash out £50m to get him.
United’s spending will, therefore, surpass the £150m mark this summer.
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