2017 is still only a few days old but football fans are an impatient bunch.
Everyone wants to see their clubs bring in that much-needed injection of goals, experience or defensive solidity so that the second half of the season is an improvement on the opening four months.
One of Jose Mourinho’s top targets is Benfica’s Swedish defender Victor Lindelöf, who looked close to joining Manchester United prior to the opening of the transfer window before doubt was cast over the move.
But it would appear that the transfer is very much still on, with reports from Portugal explaining what is holding up proceedings.
Manchester Evening News also claim that Benfica are trying to renegotiate Lindelof’s sell-on clause with the defender’s previous club Vasteras.
Swedish side Vasteras are understood to be entitled to 20 per cent of Lindelof’s next transfer fee and negotiations have stalled due to a disagreement over an outstanding €250,000 payment.
Vasteras were owed an add-on fee once Lindelof made 10 senior starts for Benfica in the Primeira Liga and Champions League, and the club at which the 22-year-old started his career have filed a formal complaint to Fifa’s players’ status committee.
Benfica are also keen to reduce the 20 per cent figure and, if that’s not possible, they want Manchester United to make it up.
A figure of £38m is being quoted for Lindelof, which means that the Portuguese outfit would have to part with £7.6m or convince the Red Devils to dish out even more money.
