Lindelof a Reds target?

MANCHESTER United are not planning huge January splurges, but would move for a long-standing target like Benfica defender Victor Lindelof.

In a bid to avoid another disappointing post-Sir Alex Ferguson season, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived at Old Trafford in the summer before the Red Devils made Paul Pogba the most expensive player of all-time.

Those summer moves cost United around £150m and there is little chance of boss Jose Mourinho spending anywhere near that amount in January.

Transfer funds are available, but senior sources point to the building momentum, a good age profile in the squad and difficulty of doing deals.

It is shaping up to be a relatively quiet window at United in terms of incomings but Benfica defender Lindelof has been tracked for a while, with reports building over a big-money move for the 22-year-old Sweden international.

Southampton captain Jose Fonte has also been mentioned as a potential defensive reinforcement, with Chris Smalling returning from a foot complaint and injured Bailly soon heading to the Africa Cup of Nations.