Man Utd transfer news: Mourinho scouts out Gelson Martins

The latest player to be linked to Manchester Utd is Sporting Clube de Portugal winger Gelson Martins, reports caughtoffside.com.

They get their news from Portuguese paper Record, which says his impressive form this season has come to the attention of Jose Mourinho. The Special One has had his scouts check out the 21-year-old and the reports have apparently been favourable.

• Premier League managers 'took transfer bribes'

Martins was in good nick when Sporting clashed with Real Madrid in the Champions League earlier in the month, and Zinedine Zidane has been making discreet enquiries ever since.

That prompted Mourinho to step up his interest - but has also led Sporting boss Jorge Jesus to ask his board to renew the youngster's contract, increasing his release clause from its current £55m to nearer £77m in the hope this will deter both United and Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, the future of Jesse Fonte continues to elicit speculation on the south coast, with the Daily Echo reporting that the Southampton captain and defender is "still waiting" to see if the Saints will offer him a new contract.

The Portuguese blocker was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United last month, but it came to nothing. Now Fonte seems to be in a state of limbo, which the Echo suggest could mean the Saints will sell if United return with a new and improved offer in the New Year.

"I'm focusing on my job and we'll see what happens in the future," Fonte told the paper.

Manchester United transfer news: Isco to replace out-of-favour Rooney?

27 September

Is time about to be called on Wayne Rooney's Old Trafford career? The Sun seems to think so with the paper reporting that United gaffer Jose Mourinho is "set to make a sensational swoop in January for out of favour Real Madrid playmaker Isco". That spells bad news for Rooney, says the paper, because it's further evidence that the Special One no longer believes there's anything that special about the England captain.

Rooney, who at 30 is six years the senior of Isco, was left out of the United side that hammered Leicester 4-1 at the weekend, fuelling speculation that his days at the club are numbered. According to Spanish rag AS, Mourinho "wants to bring the Spanish international to Old Trafford in January" and that will probably meet with Real's approval. The twinkle-toed playmaker has been continually overlooked by Real boss Zinedine Zidane this year and it's rumoured that Isco wants to relaunch his career at another of Europe's powerhouses.

Still with Spanish midfielders and it's again the Sun who state that Mourinho is in talks with Juan Mata over signing a new deal. Apparently the 28-year-old World Cup winner is "desperate" to remain at Old Trafford. His current £130,000-a-week deal has two years to run but a United source whispered to the Sun: "There have been talks, but Juan is still in the dark over his future at the club. He is desperate to stay and likes his life in the Manchester area. It is all down to Jose's decision now." Before slipping into the shadows the mysterious source revealed to the Sun that United hope to have a deal agreed before the New Year.

Manchester United transfer news: Mourinho prepares to swap Morgan Schneiderlin for Danny Drinkwater

26 September

If the Red Devils want Danny Drinkwater then they'll have to give Leicester someone in return, reports the Daily Star. And that someone is Morgan Schneiderlin, the 26-year-old French midfielder who has yet to win over Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Rumours emerged last week linking Drinkwater - also 26 - to United, the club he left for Leicester in 2012. Since then the midfielder has made a name for himself as a consistent performer and Mourinho is believed to be tracking his progress.

The Star claims that United are "willing to fork out as much as £30m" to sign the three-cap England international, despite the fact he signed a new deal with the Premier League champions earlier this year. However, Claudio Ranieri is apparently open to an exchange and Schneiderlin could well be on his way to the King Power Stadium in January with Drinkwater heading in the opposite direction.

Elsewhere and the Mail state that AC Milan are "willing to take a punt on Memphis Depay" with a January move for the Manchester United winger. The paper says that the Italian giants are lining up a loan deal for the New Year with a view to extending it into something more permanent if the Holland international cuts the mustard in Milan.

Depay was bought by United for £25m in the summer of 2015 but, says the Mail, "has failed to live up to expectations". As a result the club will listen to what Milan have to say and are likely to sell if they table a bid in excess of £24m.

Finally, the Express says that Paris Saint-Germain are considering a swoop for United reject Bastian Schweinsteiger in the New Year and also Man City outcast Yaya Toure. Apparently PSG "will lodge separate offers of around £1.5million to take the stars off of the books of their respective clubs".

Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho to splash £42m on Sergio Ramos

22 September

A stack of cash could be on its way to Real Madrid from Old Trafford, reports the Daily Express as United look to prise Sergio Ramos from the Bernabeu. Veteran Ramos played under Jose Mourinho when the Special One was in charge of Real from 2010 to 2013, and it's believed he is "willing to shell out £42million" to bring Ramos to England. Citing Italian outlet Calciomercat as its source, the Express says former United manager Louis van Gaal tried and failed to bag the 30-year-old Ramos last season but Mourinho is more confident of meeting with success given his previous good working relationship with the Spaniard.

Still with Real Madrid and the Evening Standard reports that Real are once again after United shot stopper David De Gea and the keeper is their number one priority next year. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the European champions believe that United could be tempted by a big-money offer in the summer particularly given that De Gea has been linked with them in the past.

Meanwhile the Daily Star claims that United and Chelsea have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Barcelona star Sergio Busquets. Apparently he is set to "sign his new and improved Barcelona deal this week" and inserted is a new buyout clause valued at £170m. According to Spanish sports paper AS, United and Chelsea had recently contacted Busquets' agent Josep Maria Orobitg "to discuss a potential transfer" but the new deal has almost certainly scuppered the last hopes of enticing the 28-year-old to Old Trafford.