As the season draws ever closer, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho remains in the market for new faces as he looks to fine tune his squad for a title challenge. Runners-up to Manchester City last season, Mourinho is prioritising a new central defender and could look to add an attacker with Anthony Martial edging closer to an exit after choosing to leave the club’s US tour for the birth of his son.
With less than two weeks left of the Premier League transfer window, Sportsmail runs the rule over the potential incomings and outgoings at Old Trafford.
DEFENCE
Harry Maguire: After an impressive World Cup in England colours, the Leicester powerhouse has emerged as a primary target for United. United are willing to offer over £65million for the 25-year-old but Leicester are discussing a £30,000-a-week pay rise for Maguire and are confident they can keep United at bay until the window closes on August 9.
Leicester and United meet in the season opener and, as it stands, it remains unclear whether Maguire will be representing Jose Mourinho’s side or the Foxes at Old Trafford.
Toby Alderweireld: Out of favour at Tottenham having failed to agree to a new contract, the Belgian is available for the right price. Mourinho has been tracking the 29-year-old for some time and the two clubs held preliminary talks at the end of last season which ultimately failed to see a deal materialise.
Tottenham want close to £50m, double what his exit clause would be next summer, and United are playing hardball with the north London side as the window draws closer to its conclusion.
Leonardo Bonucci: The AC Milan captain represents the kind of player Mourinho wants to command his defence this coming season. Bonucci is a leader and would be the authoritative figure in the back-line if he departed Serie A for Manchester.
Milan boss Gennaro Gattuso is keen to keep hold of his player, who joined the club from Juventus last summer for £37.45m on a five-year deal, but the player is said to have expressed an interest in a new challenge.
Phil Jones: With a central defender the club’s top priority before the window closes on August 9, all aside from Eric Bailly find themselves vulnerable.
Jones was selected behind Maguire with England at the World Cup and his mistakes last season — notably against Eden Hazard in the FA Cup final — could see him shown the exit door.
Matteo Darmian: The Italian’s desire to leave Old Trafford, coupled with the arrival of 19-year-old Diogo Dalot, makes Darmian a likely candidate to leave this summer.
Juventus and Napoli are among the Italian clubs hoping to take the former Torino defender back to Serie A. But Mourinho, who saw Antonio Valencia pick up an injury on the US tour will refuse to sanction a move below his valuation.
Victor Lindelof: In a similar situation to Jones, the chase for Maguire, Bonucci and Co leaves the Sweden defender’s future in doubt. Mourinho confirmed recently he could be used as an emergency right back at the start of the season due to Valencia’s injury and his versatility may earn him a stay of execution.
Having arrived from Benfica for £31m last summer, Lindelof endured a tough maiden season as he was isolated following a handful of disappointing performances.A good World Cup bodes well but the damage may already have been done.
MIDFIELD
Thiago Alcantara: With the £52m arrival of Brazilian midfielder Fred, United are well-stocked in central areas. Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Fred, Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera will all battle for starting spots this season but United are unwilling to rule out any further quality additions.
Thiago is one of the finest midfield technicans in the world and the former Barcelona star is likely to cause a bidding war if he confirms he wants to depart Bayern Munich. A previous United target under David Moyes, Mourinho is unlikely to want to pass up the opportunity if it becomes available.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: The Serbia international has been on United’s list of targets all summer having seen him impress in Serie A last season. Also catching the eye of Chelsea, Milinkovic-Savic is in high demand and would command a lofty fee should he make the move to England.
But Mourinho feels the playmaker can provide the creativity his midfield has lacked since his arrival and talks commenced prior to the World Cup. His inflated price tag and the arrival of Fred are likely to push this deal down the priority list, however.
ATTACK
Ivan Perisic: Mourinho is a long-term admirer of the tricky and quick Croatian winger but a move has never materialised. Seen as a natural replacement for Anthony Martial — who has fallen out of favour with Mourinho — Perisic would provide a genuine attacking threat from wide areas.
An impressive World Cup in Russia is likely to harden Inter Milan’s stance over no sale and inflate the price in equal measure.
Willian: The Brazilian winger emerged as a primary target for Barcelona, but after the arrival of Malcom from Bordeaux, a move to the Nou Camp now appears unlikely. Willian looked to be edging closer and closer to the Stamford Bridge exit door with Antonio Conte in charge but the arrival of Maurizio Sarri could see him have a change of heart.
Mourinho is keen to reunite with the attacking midfielder at Old Trafford but the Blues will be hesitant to help strengthen a direct title rival.
Anthony Martial: Having departed the club’s US tour to be at the birth of his baby boy, the Frenchman may have played his final game for the club. The 22-year-old was considered to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo following his arrival from Ligue 1 but it just has not worked out as hoped for club or player.
A strained relationship with Mourinho, who often turned to Rashford ahead of Martial after the arrival of Alexis Sanchez, is likely to speed up his departure if a suitable offer arrives. His desire to remain in the Premier League and prove his qualities is likely to be unfulfilled by United as there are palpable fears he could come back to haunt them.
James Wilson: While other young stars like Rashford and midfielder Scott McTominay kicked on and made an impression on the first team, Wilson’s United career has never really got out of first gear.
Loan spells at Brighton and Sheffield United ultimately proved unsuccessfully and as he enters the last year of his United contract, the Reds will no doubt look to get a fee, rather than allow him to leave for nothing.
Mourinho’s decision to omit Wilson from the US tour — for context, 16-year-old striker Mason Greenwood was selected — speaks volumes and his future is definitely not at United.