Man Utd eye £26m Brazilian as part of £80m January spree

Jose Mourinho has reportedly identified a talented Bordeaux forward as the answer to Manchester United’s search for a wide attacker.

The United boss appears ready to make a rare delve into the January transfer market next month after failing to land all four of his targets over the summer. Mourinho landed Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof – but he failed to sign Ivan Perisic after United missed out on the Croatian winger after Inter Milan decided against selling.

However, with Perisic seemingly remaining out of bounds for United, Mourinho has sent his scouts to make regularly checks on Bordeaux’s young star Malcom – and reports in the Sunday Times claim the club are set to make a move.

The paper claims Mourinho will be given about £80million to strengthen his squad next month – with a centre-half, a new left-back and a winger among his priorities.

And 20-year-old Malcom has developed into a key player for Bordeaux since signing from Corinthians in 2016, scoring 15 goals in 65 league games. He is valued at around £26m.

Malcom: Keen on both Man United and Liverpool

 

And hinting that he could be ready to spend next month, Mourinho said: “I’m not a big defender of the January market, but there are players and situations that sometimes you have the chance to do and you shouldn’t lose the chance.

 

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“If you can buy in January a player you would buy in June, July, and you have the chance to get him a few months before, then great.”

 

Sunday’s papers claimed Mourinho is also in the market for former favourite Jonny Evans as the club look to plug an injury absence in central defence.