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Manchester United have agreed a €20 million deal for
Sporting defender Marcos Rojo, with Nani going the other way
on a season-long loan.
Rojo is to move to Old Trafford after extensive negotiations
between the two clubs, against the backdrop of the Argentina
defender going on strike before apologising to his team-mates
and supporters .
With United covering the majority of Nani's salary - one of the
highest at the Premier League club - the deal is something of
a triumph for Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho.
He had refused to accept United's initial €20m offer for Rojo,
drawing the ire of both the player and Doyen Sports, an
investment fund who own 75 per cent of the Argentine's
economic rights.
With Sporting contractually obliged to pay 20% of any fee over
€5m for Rojo to his former club Spartak Moscow, and 75% of
the income going to Doyen, a €20m sale would have
effectively seen the World Cup finalist leave for free.
In bringing Nani back to the club where the forward began his
professional career, De Carvalho has landed one of Portugal's
most prominent footballers at minimal salary cost to Sporting.
De Carvalho was determined to play hard-ball with Rojo's
agents after the player refused to train with the club in order
to help push through a move to Old Trafford, insisting he
would not be held to ransom.
Rojo himself apologised for his behaviour in an interview with
the club's television channel on Sunday evening , though it is
understood it is partly designed to facilitate the transfer.
"It was all a misunderstanding, I was a hothead," he said.
"I'm sorry for what happened because I feel that I was
unprofessional.
"I want to tell the people that I didn’t behave correctly, but
I’m am very fond of this club. They are the ones that will
decide my career, and I hope it will be the best both for me
and the club. But I want to stress that I’m very happy at the
club, and I like the way I’m treated and the care they give
me."
The deal underlines United's desperation to provide Louis van
Gaal with personnel capable of playing the high-risk 3-5-2
formation their new manager is attempting to introduce at Old
Trafford.
The Dutchman began his first Premier League campaign with
just three experienced central defenders and one international
left-back in his squad, duly falling to Saturday's 2-1 home
loss to Swansea City.
Rojo, 24, is comfortable operating as one of the three centre
backs in a 3-5-2 or as the left wing-back. During his two
season at Sporting he was used primarily as a central
defender.
Nani has four years remaining on the highly lucrative contract
United awarded him early last summer. Though then manager
David Moyes considered persuading the Portugal international
to remain with the club as a key element in structuring his
squad, the pair rapidly fell out and Nani rarely made the first
XI in subsequent months.
Liverpool have made Portugal Under-21 international Tiago
Ilori available for loan as they attempt to rebalance their
squad for the new season. Ilori, an initial €7.5m signing from
Sporting last summer, has yet to start a game for the Reds
but had expected to be part of Brendan Rodgers' first-team
plans this season.
His position, though, has been complicated by Kolo Toure's
refusal to accept a transfer to Trabzonspor, leading Liverpool
to seek another developmental loan move. While Bordeaux are
interested in Ilori, he would prefer a switch to another Premier
League side.