Sources: Utd priced out of Trippier, Varane deals
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Rob DawsonCorrespondent
Manchester United are being deterred in their pursuit of Kieran Trippier and Raphael Varane because of high prices being quoted by their clubs, sources have told ESPN.
United are interested in signing a right-back and a centre-back this summer with Trippier and Varane among the players on a list of targets drawn up by the recruitment department and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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Trippier is keen to return to the Premier League after two seasons at Atletico Madrid to be closer to his family but the price being quoted by intermediaries is more than £30 million, which United consider to be too much for a 30-year-old with very little sell-on value.
Solskjaer already has a regular right-back in Aaron Wan-Bissaka — who cost £50m from Crystal Palace in 2019 — and when Alex Telles was signed last summer as competition for Luke Shaw at left-back, the Brazilian cost around £15m from Porto.
Sources have told ESPN that Atletico are not willing to listen to any offers for Trippier as coach Diego Simeone considers him to be a key member of the squad, and doesn’t have enough faith in backup option Sime Vrsaljko.
Varane has been a long-term target for United but interest this summer is being driven by his contract situation at Real Madrid.
The Frenchman has one year left on his existing deal and there is a feeling in Spain that he is keen for a new challenge, although sources have told ESPN he has not informed Madrid he has already decided against agreeing fresh terms.
The situation has been further complicated by Sergio Ramos‘ exit and should Varane also depart, it would leave the Spanish giants having to replace their first-choice centre-half pairing.
United have been made aware that even a year away from becoming a free agent, Madrid still value Varane at more than £70m. Sources have told ESPN that, as things stand, United do not hold an interest in Ramos.
United are willing to spend to strengthen the squad this summer but, according to sources, there are fears at Old Trafford that clubs in Europe are ramping up their prices for Premier League sides because of a view they are among only a few who can afford to pay transfer fees after the devastating financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
If United do not land Trippier and Varane, Norwich full-back Max Aarons and Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres are among other options.
Information from ESPN’s Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal was also included in this report.
TORONTO — Blue Jays outfielder George Springer skipped into third base on a key RBI hit by teammate Alejandro Kirk, and hopped right into an inning-ending out in the fifth on Sunday against the Athletics.
Springer was called out following a replay review after Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann alertly kept his glove on the Blue Jays right fielder while Springer hopped up and down on third base.
Springer, who had reached on an RBI single that opened the scoring for Toronto, was celebrating Kirk’s double that cut the deficit to 3-2.
The out call meant Toronto slugger Addison Barger didn’t get to bat with runners at second and third.
Schuemann had just entered the game as a defensive replacement, taking over for Miguel Andujar.
The Athletics had lost five straight and 16 of 17 entering Sunday.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Slumping Rangers slugger Adolis García was held out of Texas’ lineup for the third consecutive day Sunday, with president of baseball operations Chris Young saying the club wants the 2023 ALCS MVP to make some mechanical changes.
“We need him to kind of commit to some of these changes that we think will get him back to the ’23 version of himself and help him be the player that we know he can be,” Young said before Texas’ series finale against St. Louis.
García is hitting .155 in the past 20 games with 25 strikeouts. He is hitting .208 overall, with seven homers and a team-high 27 RBIs for a Rangers club that has struggled offensively. He ranked 14th in the majors with 122 home runs over the past four seasons.
García, who has started 55 of Texas’ 60 games in right field this season, missed only one other game before this weekend, with manager Bruce Bochy saying Friday that García was being given a mental break.
“It’s about the mental reset and coming back with more energy,” García told reporters Saturday. “I’m working on some stuff without the pressure of having to do something up there.”
García, 32, is in the final season of a two-year contract.
The anticipated return of Evan Carter to the active roster Tuesday, joining Wyatt Langford, Alejandro Osuna and Sam Haggerty, further crowds the Rangers outfield as García tries to return to the lineup.
“It’s going to be performance-driven at this point,” Young said.
Texas also made three roster moves before Sunday’s game. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (triceps fatigue) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Thursday, catcher Tucker Barnhart was designated for assignment, and right-hander Codi Heuer was selected from Triple-A Round Rock.
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