Man Utd put defensive trio up for sale ahead of January clearout

Jose Mourinho is ready to listen to offers for three Manchester United defenders as he steps up plans to clear the deadwood from his squad.

The United boss has spent the best part of £300million over his two summers in charge and used the January transfer window last season to offload the likes of Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

And the Daily Telegraph claims United are similarly planning another clearout when the winter window opens once again – with Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw the men all expected to make way.

It’s no secret that Mourinho has been frustrated by his full-back options since taking charge at Old Trafford, with only Antonio Valencia commanding a regular place since the Portuguese coach took charge.

Darmian looks most likely set to return to Italy with the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan and Roma all plotting moves for the former Torino man, while Dutchman Blind looks to have options to move to Turkey, with Galatasaray and Besiktas both reported to be keen.

The departure of Shaw, however, would come as least surprising, with the player regularly criticised when given fleeting opportunities under Mourinho. The England man was on Tuesday named as one of United’s fittest players – but it’s believed the ‘news’ has been leaked in a bid to encourage perspective new employers amid doubts about his fitness.

A Carrington insider told The Sun: “Luke and Antonio are the best when it comes to actual endurance and stamina.

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba might be the strongest in terms of their obvious size and physicality, but Luke rates much higher in terms of overall fitness.”

The Telegraph, however, believes it is unlikely Mourinho will sanction the sale of all three players in January in order to not leave his squad too light in the full-back departments.

The United boss, however, will remain passively active in trying to bring reinforcements in. Danny Rose is among those linked with United and there is the small possibility a complicated swap deal could be arranged between United and Tottenham.

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