Jose Mourinho bids to fend off Chinese financial clout and sign Pepe from Real Madrid

REAL MADRID star Pepe is wanted by Manchester United.

Central defender Pepe, 33, has fallen down the Bernabeu pecking order and Jose Mourinho is looking to sign him next summer.

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Pepe, who won the European Championships with Portugal last summer, is attracting interest from all over Europe and China.

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Mourinho knows the player well and is hoping to steal a march on everyone else interested by making an early offer.

He sees Pepe as the perfect cover player, an experienced head to help mould United's current defensive crop of Phil Jones, Marcus Rojo, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly into an even tighter unit.

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Tottenham are also believed to be keen but Nourinho believes the player he managed while bossing Real would prefer a switch to Old Trafford.

But a major problem could be the growing interest from China in top European players - and the riches on offer.

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For Pepe, who has won two Champions League crowns with Real, has already been touted around the Chinese Super League.

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He knows that he will be able to pick up at least £450,000 a week if he decides to go down that route.