City and United's failed Pepe pursuit

Posted Saturday, January 03, 2015 by Marca.com

MANCHESTER GIANTS HAVE ENQUIRED ABOUT DEFENDER

Real Madrid are absolutely not considering selling Pepe at this moment in time. In line with the stance he has adopted regarding Gareth Bale, Florentino Pérez has no interest in any offers for the Portuguese centre-back, who isn't short of suitors.

Both Manchester United and Manchester City have had their sights on Pepe, but the Real president and coach Carlo Ancelotti alike see the 31-year-old as a mainstay and can't imagine the club without him in the medium term.

United have twice made enquiries to Jorge Mendes about Pepe's situation and on both occasions the defender's agent has ruled out any possibility of even laying the groundwork for a potential deal. "It's not going to happen", was Mendes's curt response.

The Red Devils have a pressing need to strengthen their defence, with their injury crisis this season having particularly ravaged their backline. Pepe was the club's top target and the first player they approached, but having been brushed off, Louis van Gaal and co have been forced to turn their attentions elsewhere.

Manuel Pellegrini's City have also come in for Pepe more than once. They first expressed an interest during the summer and have put out feelers in recent days, only to be shot down by the centre-back's camp once again.