Manchester United have asked three separate Premier League clubs the availability of their players this January transfer window, as Ruben Amorim looks to stamp his authority on the Red Devils squad.
Things haven't been plain sailing so far for the Portuguese boss at Old Trafford, with home defeats to Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Brighton leaving Manchester United struggling in 13th.
But while there are a number of positions in the squad that could do with improvements, it seems left-wing back is currently the priority for Amorim and the hierarchy.
Manchester United prioritising left-wing back
According to the i, Manchester United have made enquiries over the availability of Premier League trio Milos Kerkez at Bournemouth, Rayan Ait-Nouri at Wolves and Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell, as Amorim looks to get a specialist defender in for the remainder of the season.
Kerkez in particular has caught the attention of the Premier League's elite this season, with the 21-year-old putting in consistently strong displays for Andoni Iraola's side. His intensity would suit Amorim's high-press style of play, while his quality in the final third would provide good quality for the team, too.
Ait-Nouri and Mitchell are both similar options who enjoy getting forward, but have endured slightly more difficult seasons with their respective clubs.
All three are 25 or under, while they're valued by Transfermarkt between £20m-£35m, highlighting the type of profile Manchester United are targeting.
However, the report adds that, while those enquiries have been made, Manchester United have settled on Lecce's Patrick Dorgu as their priority target this January.
In FourFourTwo's view, it would make sense for Manchester United to explore left-wing back options this window as the fitness of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia continue to raise questions. Kerkez or Ait-Nouri feel like the best options out of the aforementioned quartet the club are looking at due to their qualities and Premier League experience, but Dorgu might be a risk that pays off.
