• Premier League

Thiago moves point to United deal

ESPN staff
July 4, 2013
AS reports Thiago Alcantara's father has sold his restaurant, fuelling speculation of a move

Speculation is increasing in Spain that Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara will soon be leaving the club for Manchester United.

Publicly Barcelona have remained adamant that no such deal exists with club spokesman Toni Freixa telling Marca that "there is no news [regarding Thiago]," and that the 22-year-old remains a "Barca player with a valid contract".

However there have been various signs to suggest that it's just a matter of time before Thiago leaves the Camp Nou to join the Premier League champions.

Spain's sports daily AS breaks the news that the player's father Mazinho, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, has put his Barcelona restaurant 'Campechano' on the market, ahead of an imminent move to the north-west of England.

The paper also points out that having used Thiago in the advertising campaign to launch the team's new kit, Barça have since published the same photo on Instagram, cropping the midfielder from the shot.

United sources have told ESPN a deal is "very close" and could even be announced at David Moyes' first United press conference on Friday.

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