Transfer Rumors: Manchester United Veteran Set To Leave As Old Trafford Side Prepare $130M Double Deal

Manchester United are reportedly preparing a $130 million double deal and the two signings would see the exit of their veteran midfielder Jesse Lingard from Old Trafford at the end of the current season.

After Man Utd’s recent derby win against Manchester City at home in the Premier League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had suggested that the former champions are still a few signings away from being a title contender. The double deal, where the Red Devils are expected to sign Birmingham’s 16-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham and Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, would be their first step to the much-needed transition.

According to news reports, Bellingham was spotted at Man Utd’s Carrington training base where he met Solskjaer and the club’s transfer chief, Ed Woodward. It was also known that Sir Alex Ferguson was called in to persuade the teenager, who is Birmingham’s youngest ever player and has made 35 appearances since his debut for the Championship side. Man Utd, who made an offer of $39 million for the midfielder this January transfer window, could end up spending more than their assigned budget as Bellingham has a few more European giants like Borussia Dortmund chasing him.

Meanwhile, Ashton Villa are currently placed 19th in the Premier League points table. Even if the club does not get relegated, their captain is all set to move to a bigger club and he is on the top of Man Utd’s wish list ahead of the summer transfer window.

Villa captain Grealish has seven goals and six assists in the ongoing 2019-20 Premier League campaign and he could well see a bidding war for him at the end of the season. Man Utd reportedly have made an offer of $91 million to attain the services of Villa’s skipper.

Combining Bellingham and Grealish’s offers, the double deal equates to $130 million and this would see the exit of Lingard, who has a contract until the end of 2021 season. Lingard has already been demoted to a back-up role and hardly gets to start games these days and hence, his departure looks more likely to fund the signing of the two young guns.