Man Utd Turn Attention Back to Nemanja Matic After Accepting Defeat in Eric Dier Bid

​Manchester United will turn their attention towards signing Chelsea's Nemanja Matic in the summer, after Tottenham Hotspur insisted that Eric Dier was going nowhere in the transfer window.

The Reds have been in the market for an established central defensive midfielder and initially pinpointed Spurs' England international as their prime target, but now, after the north Londoners signalled their intent to keep Dier, Jose Mourinho will aim to reunite with Matic at Old Trafford, according to a report published by The Sun.

Manchester United's Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan (L) vies with Tottenham Hotspur's English defender Eric Dier during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at White Hart Lane in London, on May 14, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / IKIMAGES / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

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United allegedly made contact with Tottenham over a potential swoop for Dier, although Mauricio Pochettino is not willing to flog another club star, after Kyle Walker made the jump to United's close rivals Manchester City recently.

Matic, 28, has also been widely linked towards a move to United this summer, and is supposedly keen on a move to the Europa League holders, although Chelsea will be reluctant to sell to one of their direct domestic rivals.

The Serbian's career at Stamford Bridge, however, looks as though it's run its course, with the Blues signing Tiemoue Bakayoko, 23,  from AS Monaco - a player seen as the perfect replacement for Matic.

Matic has also been associated with Serie A side Inter Milan, a potential deal which Chelsea may consider as the more viable option apposed to United.

Although now that Dier is staying put at Wembley next term indefinitely it seems, United will have to do everything within their power to persuade the Premier League champions to allow Matic to pack his bags for the Theatre of Dreams.