He has been linked with a move to United all summer and it seemed like Red Devils’ supporters were all extremely excited about a potential move for Zlatan Ibrahimovic-  until the Euros, that was.

The Swede, who announced his retirement following Sweden’s pretty dire tournament, didn’t seem too dishevelled by the form he showed out in France.

But for some United fans, it will come as a great concern as many were pinning their hopes on “The King” to potentially bring home a Premier League crown next season.

Whether the United hierarchy may have a think as to whether to consider someone else is still yet to be seen – so we thought we’d offer up some alternatives if Mourinho and co. change their minds.

So with that in mind, here are FIVE striking alternatives to Zlatan for Manchester United…

Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng

The Dortmund striker has long since been linked with a move away from Germany, although it would take a pretty big bid to prise him away from Borussia.

But that money would be well spent – the Gabonese striker just promises goals. And with Zlatan looking far from his prime out in France, would a bid for one of the worlds hottest strikers make more sense?

Edinson Cavani

With Zlatan always being the star at PSG, it’s easy to suggest that Edinson Cavani has had to share the limelight over the past couple of seasons.

But his form has remained consistent regardless, and he banged in another 25 goals last season as his side walked to domestic success in France.

He is another striker who has years left in his locker, so should a move for Zlatan’s PSG team-mate make more sense?

Alexandre Lacazette

Another France based striker who has been linked with a number of moves this summer, Alexandre Lacazette is another top striker that has performed well season-after season in Ligue 1.

23 goals for Lyon last season confirmed his place as one of the worlds most in-demand strikers and he’d be an asset in many top sides.

He is pacey, has an evil eye for goal and brings team-mates into the game with relative ease – would this man improve United? Absolutely.

Carlos Tevez

It seems like a long time since Carlos Tevez last graced the Old Trafford turf and he is a name that is often forgotten in world football these days.

After moving back to Boca Juniors in Argentina, the spotlight has moved away from the international star, but that doesn’t mean he has lost his class.

While he suffered a frustrating first season in his homeland, his quality was always clear to see.

Harry Kane

You’ve got to feel that if Spurs don’t challenge for the Premier League this season, players like Harry Kane could be on their way.

The England international is a key man for Mauricio Pochettino’s side and it would take mega money to prise him away as he is widely considered as one of England’s best strikers right now.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer. Manchester City aren’t favourites for Champions League glory, nor are they favourites for Premier League glory. And on the back of one 5-0 win away to Steaua Bucharest, that status shouldn’t change. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

City were magnificent against Bucharest, but Bucharest were terrible against City. They were so bad you could consider it offensive, but it was a watchable game because City were so good. It’s a case of swings and roundabouts.

Though if City aren’t favourites for European glory, there are definite signs that they can win the competition. They got to the semi final last year and were within a deflected Gareth Bale cross from reaching the final against Atletico Madrid.

They may not have played the most amazing football last season, but City did come that close. Play better this year and all the evidence would make it seem like City have a real chance.

So here are five reasons why Manchester City have a realistic shot of lifting the Champions League trophy in Cardiff in May…

Pep Guardiola

It’s easy to point to Pep Guardiola and say that his arrival will change everything. There is clearly work to do and the City job is one of the hardest Guardiola has had.

But there’s a reason why it’s easy to make Guardiola a beacon for change. In his seven years as a manager, Guardiola has never been knocked out before the semi final in the Champions League. Anyone with that record has every chance of winning the competition this year.

Precision on the break

Perhaps the most frightening thing about Manchester City’s squad is the ability to cut teams open on the break. With Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, City possess pace and incision, though more often than not this season, it seems as though City will be playing with the ball rather than without it.

In the Champions League, the ability to break quickly is essential, however, and in the later stages of the competition, the pace and precision available to Guardiola in attack will be critical.

Other teams aren’t what they used to be

Barcelona’s near-collapse at the end of last season proved that they are a team made up of humans, even if they are still the best team in Europe currently. Yet they’re a team that has been together for a long time, who have lost Dani Alves without bothering to replace him, a team who haven’t strengthened the starting eleven since Luis Suarez arrived, and a team who possess players currently distracted by off-the-pitch matters.

As for Real Madrid, no team has retained the Champions League, and their summer has left a lot to be desired, too – only Alvaro Morata has strengthened the squad, and the fact the club left it so late to ‘unveil’ him just shows they were looking to do bigger business than that.

Bayern Munich and Juventus could be the biggest threats to the Champions League crown this season, as both have strengthened, though there are also doubts about both. Can Bayern’s cope with the inevitable injuries to players like Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, and can Juventus adequately replace Pogba?

None of this means City will definitely win the Champions League, but it does raise doubts about the bigger teams.

Europe the Priority

City have won everything there is to win domestically under the current owners. That doesn’t mean to say that domestic honours aren’t important to City, but it does mean to say that the priority is probably taking the next logical step.

Realistically, progress is all the owners want – they want to see good football and a few shiny trinkets will arrive naturally if that beautiful football arrives, too. But with the arrival of Guardiola and the experience and know-how in Europe, City’s priority this season could see them go far in Europe – and why not win it?

A clear style of play

One of City’s problems in the past has been the lack of an identity in the team. When Pep Guardiola took to the airwaves in his pre-match interview before the Sunderland game last weekend, he asked his team to play with ‘soul’.

Over the past few seasons, it’s been hard to establish what Manchester City were for other than ‘winning’, something that happened less frequently than usual. Now, under Guardiola, City are creating an identity for themselves. That’s what will see them grow together as a team as everyone buys into the same thing. There needs to be a focal point for team growth, and that’s the team’s identity.

Tottenham Hotspur’s title challenge ended with a whimper last season after an inevitable and understandable end of season collapse followed a mortal defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Crucially, though, Spurs now find themselves sitting third in the Premier League table.

Alright, OK. You’re right. Five games into the season is no time to be looking at the table. Even the bottom clubs are only two wins away from the Europa League places.

But it does make good reading for Spurs fans. Last year, it was probably their start that cost them the title. This year, they’ve started as well as anyone in the league other than Manchester City. And perhaps that’s the power of youth. The ability to put disappointments like the end of last season down to experience and move on. Just like they have done.

And with the likes of Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Kane signing new long-term contracts, and given that, there’s a high chance that quite a few more will do too.

It’s tempting to think about the future when talking about a club like that. They have a young squad filled with so many players who will only get better, and that means the nucleus of this team will stay together and get better collectively

By the time Dele Alli and co are coming to the end of their new contracts and are senior players at the club, there will, of course, be here is a Spurs starting XI we could see…

Pau Lopez

Just signed from Espanyol, Pau Lopez is a little bit of an unknown quantity at the moment. The reason for signing a goalkeeper you probably won’t play in order to have him as third-choice backup is actually fairly simple: Tottenham think that Lopez could be a great young keeper who could eventually become Spurs’ number one.

Time will tell if Lopez will be the long-term successor to Hugo Lloris, but you’d imagine that in five years, Lloris will be coming to the end of his time at the very top of the game, and an heir will be stood in his place between the Tottenham sticks. If Lopez impresses, it could be him.

Danny Rose

In five years time, Danny Rose will be 31 years of age, probably coming towards the end of his best years as a full-back.

He is a consistent performer for Spurs, though, and even if his pace will be starting to decline, he’ll be much more experienced at reading the game. He’ll have also been playing with his teammates for years and know them inside out, and that can only be a plus.

Toby Alderweireld

At this juncture, it’s hard to pick Tottenham’s centre-backs for the foreseeable future. Jan Vertonghen is surely too old to feature in this lineup, whilst Toby Alderweireld could well be usurped by Kevin Wimmer as the top centre back at the club.

But perhaps sometimes you need age and experience, especially at centre back, and Alderweireld could thrive on being the main man at the back.

Cameron Carter-Vickers

The young American defender Cameron Carter-Vickers could well be the man alongside the Belgian international in five years.

He’s already pushing for a start in the Tottenham first team this season, according to his manager, and it’s not a stretch to think that a promising young prospect like him might thrive under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino: a man who, on top of his reputation for nurturing youth, was also a top class centre-back himself.

Mitchell Weiser

Mauricio Pochettino is keeping the faith in Kyle Walker in his Tottenham side, but it’s entirely possible that he looks further afield over the next few seasons to add someone new to that slot. At this point, right back looks like the most problematic position for Pochettino and Spurs over the long term.

Mitchell Weiser is a young, attacking right back who learned his trade under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. He didn’t quite break into that stellar team, the likes of Philip Lahm (who he’s pictured with) and David Alaba are just too good right now, but he is making a name for himself at Hertha Berlin, who almost unexpectedly broke into to the Champions League spots last season.

It doesn’t have to be Weiser, but over the next five years, an attacking right back who knows how to support the attack and is comfortable on the ball, but who is a little more reliable defensively may be a better long-term solution to Walker at right back.

Eric Dier

He’s fast becoming a lynchpin in this Tottenham midfield already, but in five years time Eric Dier will be a more intelligent, more experienced player whose discipline will only add to his game.

Dele Alli

Amidst the rapid rise of Dele Alli, it’s easily forgettable that he’s still only 20 years old, and was born only two months before Euro 96.

At the moment, Alli is an attacking playmaker, probably at his best ahead of players who are more defensively minded, but in five years time, with more experience behind him, perhaps Alli can be a key part of a three-man midfield.

Marcus Edwards

The jewel in the crown of Tottenham’s youth academy just at the moment, Mauricio Pochettino has a lot to work with in Marcus Edwards.

The youngster has fairly recently signed a professional contract, and could make appearances in the first team sooner rather than later. Playing with those who are only a few years older than him means that the team as a collective will grow together and get better together.

Erik Lamela

After a tough first few seasons at Tottenham, Erik Lamela is perhaps starting to show the White Hart Lane faithful what he’s capable of.

He’s a pacey player capable of flashes of brilliance, but he’s only now beginning to show it on a semi-regular basis. If he can continue gain in consistency, he can continue as Tottenham’s creative threat for the long term.

Georges-Kevin N’Koudou

After a prolonged transfer, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou is finally a Tottenham player, and at 21, he still has time on his side.

N’Koudou is young and still fairly raw. He was the brightest spark in a limp Marseille team last season, often igniting the game with a blazing run and shot. His directness is his charm, but it’s also the most infuriating part of his game at present, taking on the impossible dribble and shot when a simple pass would’ve worked better.

In five years time, you’d expect that to be ironed out of his game. You’d expect him to be a better dribbler, a better distance shooter, and more importantly, a more intelligent player. And that directness will always be a plus if he knows how to harness it.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane may have Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record in his sights. The young Englishman is incredibly consistent in front of goal. He seems to score in most games, and he’s never scored in August. Consistent indeed.

But that consistency will be a plus for him throughout his career. He’s one of those players who may end up making a move to a club who can pay more wages and where it looks like the grass is greener in terms of titles to win and worldwide prestige to gain. But if he sticks with Tottenham, along with all those other young players in the side at present, Kane and Tottenham could find themselves a threat to titles domestically and internationally for the years to come.

Tottenham continued their unbeaten start to the 16/17 Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Manchester City, subsequently ending Pep Guardiola’s side’s 100% record.

Spurs were hugely impressive throughout the 90 minutes at White Hart Lane and have now closed the gap between themselves and table topping City to just a single point.

A Kolorov own goal and neat Dele Alli finish in the first half ensured all three points stayed in north London, while it could’ve been worse for City had Erik Lamella not seen his second half penalty saved by Claudio Bravo.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side could now be seen as title contenders after that performance, particularly after making easy work of a City side heavily backed to lift the trophy in May.

Spurs fans won’t forget this victory in a hurry and here are six of the best photos that perfectly sum it up…

Togetherness…

Tottenham came out of the blocks quickly and got in the faces of Man City, who were clearly struggling without Kevin De Bruyne in midfield.

And in the ninth minute, Spurs’ efforts were rewarded when Kolorov made a mess of a routine clearance and directed the ball in to his own net.

And as we’ve seen on many an occasion under Pochettino, the togetherness within the Spurs squad was evident during the celebrations.

Dele on target…

Dele Alli then made it 2-0 for Spurs in the 37th minute when he guided home a Son through ball, sending the White Hart Lane faithful in to raptures.

Sheer delight!

Just look at those faces!

Disappointment

Bravo may have saved Lamella’s second-half penalty but he was unable to prevent Spurs from netting twice, and his disappointment was clear for all to see.

Rock at the back…

Toby Alderweireld was a rock at the back for Spurs on Sunday afternoon and you can see how much that victory and clean sheet meant to him at the final whistle.

Only one unbeaten man left…

This game was being billed as the clash of the Invicibles, with both sides having gone unbeaten in the league beforehand.

And at the end of the game there was just one unbeaten manager left in the Premier League, with Pochettino clearly the happier of the two managers.

The dust is beginning to settle on the first evening of matchweek 3 in the Champions League with Tottenham taking a point against Bayer Leverkusen.

In a game that was truly of two halves both sides will have to say a point was fair.

Spurs started brightly with Vincent Janssen seeing a goal chalked off for offside before he also hit the bar whilst Dele Alli could and perhaps should have scored with a close range effort from his head.

In the second half the likes of Javier Hernandez really should have helped Leverkusen score as they grew into the game but the Mexican and his team-mates found an inspired Hugo Lloris between the sticks for the London club.

A decent point in the end, then, for Spurs as it leaves them second in the group with two home games to play at Wembley and here are five pictures that help sum it all up…

 Frustrating first half for Spurs

Tottenham had a number of chances to take the lead in the first half but simply couldn’t get the ball in the net. The one time they did saw Vincent Janssen offside whilst the Dutch international also smacked the bar with a header. Dele Alli could have bagged a header too but put it wide from close range.

 Leverkusen play-acting

Leverkusen, it has to be said, did see some of their players go down fairly softly at times during the game.

Javier Hernandez was just one player to hit the deck whenever he had a chance and that started to grate on the Spurs players. To their credit, they kept their cool pretty well despite obvious frustration and that’ll be key to their chances this season in the competition.

 Lloris on top form

As if we needed a reminder as to how good Hugo Lloris was he duly put in another great performance.

A string of great saves, particularly in the second half impressed but there was one in particular that will live long in the memory. A low ball into the far post was turned towards the goal by Javier Hernandez and it looked destined for the net but for the Frenchman’s quick work to scramble across and deny him. An amazing save.

 Janssen continues to struggle

You have to feel for Vincent Janssen. He’s already got the unenviable task of trying to replicate Harry Kane’s form up front from Spurs and he’s struggling for form. He doesn’t have much luck too after hitting the cross-bar in the first half and that soon seemed to take it’s toll as he faded from the game.

He was replaced by Mousa Dembele in the second half and his presence wasn’t really missed.

 Draw a fair result

After Spurs were the better side in the first-half Leverkusen duly struck back and could have won the game themselves in the second. Hugo Lloris kept them in the game before, in the closing minutes, both sides appeared to have tired each other out. It was a pretty evenly matched contest in the end but Spurs will no doubt be the happier side with the point.

Sunderland boss David Moyes has taken on a unenviable task in trying to steer the Black Cats away from relegation trouble and only time will tell whether or not he is the man to keep them in the Premier League.

The ardent bunch of long-suffering Sunderland supporting punters here in the Transfer Tavern are less than convinced that Moyes is the man for the job, although they are prepared to give him time to stamp his own authority on the team.

Moyes oversaw his first league win as Sunderland boss last Saturday after his side defeated Bournemouth 2-1 and his side must now build on such a result.

With January on the horizon, Moyes will undoubtedly look towards the transfer market to try and bolster his side.

Tavern writer Lee Clarke takes a look at three players under £20 million that Moyes could look to sign in the coming months.

Britt Assombalonga

The Nottingham Forest striker only signed a new five-year deal recently but as we know, that doesn’t mean a great deal in football during the modern era.

Forest are fading fast towards the bottom of the Championship and should they receive a offer in excessive of the £4.25 million that he is valued on transfermarkt.co.uk, then the Reds could well be tempted into a sale.

Sunderland supporters here in the Tavern are desperate for someone to come in and take the burden of scoring goals away from Jermain Defoe, and Assombalonga would do just that.

Mamadou Sakho

The burly central defender has fallen out of favour at Liverpool and he looks set to be let loose in January by boss Jurgen Klopp.

According to transfermarkt.co.uk, the French international is valued at £10.2 million, although Liverpool’s desire to offload him could see him available for considerably less.

Sunderland need to start keeping clean sheets if they are to fire themselves up the table and the 26-year-old would be a great signing.

Franck Kessie

The Ivorian defensive midfielder has been on David Moyes’ radar since he took over at the Stadium of Light and the middle of the park is a problem area for his side at present.

The Atalanta player is valued at £6.3 million by transfermarkt.co.uk and he would represent good value for money for the club, after a solid start to the 2016/17 campaign with his current club.

One Sunderland fan is chucking his money in the games machine here in the Tavern and he thinks the club should push ahead with a move for Kessie having heard good things from his mate who lives in Italy.

Sunderland fans, would you welcome these three players to the club? Who else would you like to see the Black Cats sign in January? Let us know in the comments below!!!

Arsenal were only 0-1 up at West Ham with 70 minutes gone, but a crazy last 20 or so minutes saw the goals fly in and a 1-5 scoreline is what we ended up with.

Indeed, it looked as if Mesut Ozil had netted the winner, but the game became the Alexis Sanchez show, as the Chilean notched a hat-trick, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also found the net with a stunning effort. The only positive for Slaven Bilic’s Irons was a comeback goal for Andy Carroll.

The result lifts Arsene Wenger’s Gunners up to second in the Premier League table, with just three points between them and London rivals Chelsea – they will, however, fall to third if Liverpool beat Bournemouth. West Ham, meanwhile, are now just one point above the relegation zone and have shipped nine goals in their last two outings.

It was a cracking game at the London Stadium, and here are FIVE pictures that summed it up…

Bad start for the Hammers

West Ham needed a positive start against Arsenal, but just minutes into the match they lost James Collins too injury. The Welshman may not be a world-class defender, but with injuries stretching Bilic’s options to breaking point, the Croatian could have done without him limping off.

Alvaro Arbeloa came on and the Irons shifted to a back four after starting with a three-man rearguard, and then the problems started…

Ozil: breaking hearts and records

Arsenal fans love Mesut Ozil, and it’s easy to see why. Sometimes the German’s abilities may be a little over-sold by Gooners, but he is a talented player, and his opener vs. West Ham an example of his quality.

Not only did the goal break Hammers hearts, but it also broke a personal record for the playmaker, who has now netted 28 times for Arsenal – more than he’s managed at any of his other clubs (Real Madrid, Werder Bremen and Schalke).

Spicy stuff from the Chilean

Leading the line for the Gunners, Sanchez has been a revelation this season. Although not the target man forward Wenger usually favours, the Chile international has proven himself worthy of his gaffer’s trust, and his first goal against West Ham was truly special.

Controlling a fierce pass, Sanchez managed to get the ball under his spell and slammed it into the far corner past a hapless Darren Randolph.

Carroll season

After another lengthy injury absence, Andy Carroll is back. The giant England international started the game on the bench, but he made it on in the second-half, much to the relief of Bilic and Hammers fans and capped his outing with a goal. With Simone Zaza having been useless and Ashley Fletcher still young, having the ex-Newcastle and Liverpool man available (assuming he stays fit) for the festive period will be massive for West Ham.

Super Sanchez…

Goals are like busses, and not long after the West Ham net had stopped rippling from his first, Sanchez made it 3-0 with another lovely strike from the edge of the area.

But it was Arsenal fifth, and the Chilean’s third, that caught our eye, as he raced through on goal before lifting a delightful dinked finish over Randolph.

Manchester United’s FA Cup win in May was only their second since the turn of the century. They’ve won the trophy twelve times, a record they share with Arsenal, and this season’s competition represents the chance to become the record holders outright to compliment their league title supremacy.

It’s also a chance to usher in the new era under Jose Mourinho which, in recent weeks, has looked like it could be one of great success.

United are on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions, finally turning around an inconsistent start to the season.

The busy festive schedule as tough on the legs but they’ve come out of that looking better than ever and with the visit of Championship side Reading today, they have the chance to rest some players and give fringe options a chance to impress the Old Trafford faithful.

This is the rotated XI we’ve chosen to get the job done against Jaap Stam’s side…

GK: Sergio Romero

David de Gea hasn’t put a foot wrong in the Man United goal recently but cup action provides the opportunity for Sergio Romero to get some much-needed game time.

A start against Reading keeps him sharp for the possibility that De Gea picks up an injury or loses form dramatically.

The Argentine has started four games for United this season, one in the League Cup and three in the Europa League, keeping a clean sheet on three occasions.

RB: Antonio Valencia

The Manchester United right-back has been in exceptional form in recent weeks and given his natural work ethic and fitness is one of the few we wouldn’t rotate out of the team for the visit of Reading.

His engine is crucial down United’s right-hand side and as an experienced squad member will ensure that there are no slip-ups or cup upsets when Reading come calling.

CB: Chris Smalling

Chris Smalling returned to the starting line-up for United on New Year’s Eve against Middlesbrough and made an appearance off the bench against West Ham. With Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones having played a heavy schedule of games, it makes sense for the England international to come in here and relieve them for a fixture.

Smalling probably hasn’t played as many games as he’d like this season and the FA Cup match represents a good opportunity to show what he can do.

CB: Daley Blind

The versatile Daley Blind hasn’t looked out of place at centre-back this season when called upon, making seven appearances in the position so far. With Eric Bailly on international duty, he’ll be the man for Mourinho to turn to if he does indeed want to rest both Rojo and Jones.

Blind is a reliable figure in the United squad, always performing to a high quality when required, no matter the position or role. Partnering Smalling, they should both have enough to keep Reading quiet in an attacking sense.

LB: Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw hasn’t featured since playing a half of EFL Cup action against West Ham in November, and it’s time for him to take a place back in Mourinho’s XI.

United have had capable replacements at left-back in his absence but the potential Shaw has is significant and perhaps coming into a side that is performing better now will help him raise his game to a level expected of his large transfer fee.

CM: Ander Herrera

Manchester United don’t have great depth at midfield, so to maintain an acceptable level of performance, some of the consistent starters over the festive period will have to remain.

Michael Carrick likely needs the rest more so the responsibility falls on Ander Herrera to keep Manchester United ticking in the heart of the pitch.

The Spaniard has been in excellent form over the last six weeks, notching up three assists and putting in two Man of the Match performances against Tottenham and West Ham.

CM: Marouane Fellaini

Marouane Fellaini has had a frustrating season in a Manchester United. As unpopular with the fans as he’s ever been, he’s struggled for form, made some key errors and generally looked out of place at Old Trafford.

As we mentioned, though, the Man United midfield doesn’t have the greatest level of depth and with Mourinho preferring to play two central midfielders alongside Paul Pogba in recent weeks, Fellaini could come in to get some much-needed game time.

He played against Middlesbrough on New Year’s Eve and actually had a decent game, so perhaps things are starting to turn around for him this season.

AMR: Juan Mata

Juan Mata has played starring roles from the bench in United’s last two fixtures against Middlesbrough and West Ham.

He got an assist in the first before scoring a vital goal at the London Stadium, and after a series of below-par performances prior to them, we reckon that double impact means the attacking midfielder deserves a chance from the start once again.

He certainly has the quality required to punish Reading and another good performance could be a huge confidence boost heading into more Premier League fixtures.

AM: Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba has been a machine this season and we see no reason to rest him against Reading. In fact, he could be vital in inspiring his team-mates to victory in an understrength XI.

The French midfielder has been nothing short of sensational since his world record transfer. With six goals and four assists from midfield this season, he’s been the driving force of Mourinho’s United and a key part of turning their general form around.

AML: Marcus Rashford

Like Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford was a hugely important impact sub in the last match against West Ham and deserves his chance to impress the Old Trafford faithful.

The teenager exposed the Hammers’ backline, finding space and running off his team-mates, offering a different dimension in the final third.

He got the assist for United’s opener and was the spark needed to get a victory. Can he do the same against Reading?

ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to play every match, that much is clear. Despite being 35, he’s barely been rested this season and will surely want to play his first game in the iconic FA Cup.

Ibrahimovic came to United to win trophies and will want to be an integral part of any cup run. The FA Cup is an important trophy and Mourinho can’t take any risks with his attack.

With 17 goals already this season, Reading could pay the price of the Swede’s hunger to be the main man at United in all competitions.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Jose Mourinho has made a major decision regarding the upcoming January transfer window, opting not to sign any players unless there’s a departure from the club.

What about all the rumours?

Manchester United have been linked with many players over the last month, not least Benfica defender Victor Lindelof, who we discussed last week had been the subject of a bid from the Old Trafford club.

It appears though Mourinho has done about turn on his need for defensive reinforcement. The Mail reckon that the Man United boss is now more than happy with the current form of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo and wants to invest time into making that partnership work.

Further to that, The Mail report that Mourinho is not actually planning to sign any player unless there are departures from Old Trafford. However, they reckon the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay are on their way out, so United fans may get to be excited by a new face sooner rather than later.

Jones and Rojo

The defensive contribution from United’s defensive partnership has most definitely improved in recent weeks, allowing the Red Devils to have a platform on which to build attacks and impose themselves on a match.

Phil Jones in particular is beginning to look the player of old, finally finding his feet under the management of Mourinho.

United have kept three clean sheets in their six December matches, only conceding one goal in the matches they’ve not managed to keep the opposition out. They’ve won their last five matches and are well place to have a much improved 2017, potentially able to push themselves into contention for a top 4 finish.

It’s that kind of form that means they don’t have to make wholesale changes in January and can pick their transfer investments very carefully.

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After the heady heights of last season’s maiden Premier League title success, Leicester have been brought back down to earth this time around with their defence of the trophy being one that is almost non-existent. The task at hand was always going to be difficult, but now it seems that the challenge will be to stay out of the bottom three instead.

You could argue that Leicester’s transfer business over the summer has let them down somewhat. A first XI that gave their all on their way to becoming champions is now looking slightly jaded and the new faces that were brought in have not quite made their mark yet.

They reportedly had around £30m to spend in this January transfer window and half of that has already gone on Wilfred Ndidi from Genk. But with £15m still available to spend that might not be the last bit of business that Claudio Ranieri carries out.

So let’s now take a look at THREE players who could be on their way to the King Power Stadium

Francesco Acerbi

Last season Leicester’s success was built on the solid bedrock of Wes Morgan and Robert Huth. The centre-back partnership played a key role on the way to the title, but the performances of the Jamaican and German aces have not hit the same heights this time around.

Some would point to the fact that they are looking a little jaded and that the partnership could perhaps do with some freshening up. One man who may be able to add some competition to the defensive ranks is Italian Francesco Acerbi.

The 28-year-old has been monitored by his countryman Ranieri and the Leicester boss is now ready to make contact with his current club Sassoulo in a bid to snatch his signature. It is believed that a fee of £11m would be enough to bring Acerbi to Leicester.

Michael Keane

If Claudio Ranieri cannot convince his compatriot Francesco Acerbi to move to the club then he may well look closer to home in the form of a Premier League defender whose side sit just a few places above the Foxes in the table.

The man in question is Michael Keane of Burnley. Keane, who has been an ever-present in the league this season, has been attracting the interest of a number of clubs over the past few months with his performances a big reason as to why Sean Dyche’s side have stayed away from the drop zone.

But you would have to anticipate that Burnley would be reluctant to sell arguably their key player to a side that is competing with them in a bid to stay up. As always, though, money talks and Keane may just about fall into Leicester’s affordable price range.

Should they be prepared to test the waters with a bid of around £15m then Burnley might well find the offer hard to turn down, especially as the England U-21 international is yet to sign a new contract.

Mamadou Sahko

Should Leicester be able to find another few million, then another Premier League target may well become a possibility. That’s because Liverpool have placed a £20m price tag on France international Mamadou Sahko.

Sahko has not featured since April for Liverpool due to a combination of off-field issues. Firstly he was served with a 30-day ban from UEFA due to an alleged doping offence (he was later cleared of any wrongdoing) and then he was sent home by Klopp during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the USA.

The 26-year-old signed a new contract at Anfield as recently as 2015, but it’s fair to say that his days on Merseyside are now numbered, and with Liverpool naming their price, it’s a case of not if but when Sahko moves on.

He may come with some baggage, but in today’s market he presents himself as decent value. Although it would use up all of Leicester’s remaining transfer budget, and a little bit more, you get the feeling that the extra outlay would be money well spent with Leicester nervously looking over their shoulder in terms of a relegation fight.