Manchester United handed transfer blow for €120 million star

Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaves after the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Manchester United at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on April 25, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaves after the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Manchester United at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on April 25, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United have been linked with a number of players over the past few months, with the club expected to make quite a few moves in the upcoming summer transfer window.

One such player is Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente. The Spaniard has been brilliant for Diego Simeone’s side this season, as they aim to lift the La Liga title.

According to stats from Transfermarkt, he has scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions this season. Those are brilliant stats for a central midfielder.

Llorente is believed to have a €120 million release clause in his current contract. And while the Red Devils were not willing to trigger that, rumours suggested that they could be preparing an €80 million transfer bid for the Atletico Madrid star.

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Manchester United handed Llorente transfer blow

As reported by AS, while his contract runs till the summer of 2024, Atletico Madrid are already in talks with Llorente about a new contract which will be an improvement on his current one. It is also believed that Llorente himself has no intention of leaving Atletico Madrid.

This of course will be a massive blow to the Red Devils and their hopes of landing the midfielder in the upcoming summer transfer window.

It is not hard to see why Manchester United would have wanted to sign someone like Llorente, especially considering the fact that Paul Pogba is yet to agree a new contract and could end up leaving this summer. Donny van de Beek is someone that the club might have signed for that reason but the Dutchman is yet to make his mark ever since moving to Old Trafford.

But at this point of time, it looks unlikely that they will be able to sign Llorente. Thus, it appears that the Red Devils’ search for a midfielder will continue.