Man Utd ditch transfer policy to target loan signing of La Liga midfielder

Manchester United have identified Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente as a loan target, according to a report.

Injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay have left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer short of options to choose from in midfield, prompting him to look at the loan market.

Having already been turned down by Ajax star Donny Van De Beek, United have been linked with homegrown talents such as Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff – another player who seems set to stay where he is.

However, the Manchester Evening News claim that Solskjaer is set to abandon his policy of targeting young, British players by making a loan bid for a Spaniard instead.

It is claimed that United want to take Llorente on loan from Atletico, where he has struggled for gametime since his summer move across the city from rivals Real Madrid.

Llorente was a £35m addition for Atletico six months ago, but Diego Simeone has only given him three starts in the league, and he is yet to score for his new club.

Solskjaer has indicated in the past that any January activity would likely revolve around the loan market, with players who are far down the pecking order at their current clubs being offered solutions.

Llorente had been offered to United’s rivals Liverpool in the summer, but uncle-agent Julio Llorente claimed that Atletico made the strongest effort to sign the 24-year-old.