Jose Mourinho is ‘keeping tabs on Manchester United duo Diogo Dalot and Victor Lindelof’ as the Portuguese looks to bolster his defensive options at Roma
- Roma are keeping tabs on Diogo Dalot ahead of a possible loan move in January
- Jose Mourinho signed both Dalot and Lindelof during his spell at Old Trafford
- Dalot has had few opportunities at United and was on loan at A.C. Milan last year
- Lindelof has become a regular at Old Trafford following injuries to Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane this month
Jose Mourinho is reportedly eager to be reunited with Manchester United defenders Victor Lindelof and Diogo Dalot and could turn to his former club in the January transfer window.
The Portuguese is eager to bolster his defensive options at Roma, with a right-back and a centre-back top of his list of priorities.
According to Italian outlet Il Romanista, there are several right-backs on Roma’s radar but there a number of factors that make Dalot an ideal candidate for Mourinho.
Roma boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly eager to sign two of his former players at United
The Portuguese manager signed both Dalot and Lindelof during his spell at Old Trafford
For a start, the former United boss knows his compatriot well and brought him to Old Trafford from Porto – another of his former clubs – in the summer of 2018.
Additionally, the 22-year-old is already familiar with Serie A having spent last season on loan at A.C. Milan and his first team opportunities at United have been few and far between under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Dalot has made just two starts for United in all competitions so far this season – in the home defeat against West Ham in the Carabao Cup last month and in the Champions League against Villarreal a week later – racking up only 316 minutes of football.
Dalot has been used very sporadically by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer so far this season
The game against Villarreal last month was one of the Portuguese’s only two starts this season
The Portuguese is understood to be frustrated with a lack of opportunities and could leave Old Trafford before his current deal expires in the summer of 2023.
A.C. Milan approached United to renew their loan for a second season in the summer, but were discouraged by an onerous £5 million (€6 million) fee.
According to the report, Roma would have to pay approximately half of that to take the Portuguese on loan in January.
Meanwhile, The Sun claims Mourinho is also keeping tabs on Lindelof, whom he signed from Benfica for £31.5 million in the summer of 2017.
Solskjaer has turned to Lindelof after injuries ruled out Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane
The Swedish international was part of the back four that conceded five goals to Liverpool
The Sweden international was expected to be relegated to a largely peripheral role this season following the arrival of Raphael Varane in the summer.
However, injuries to the Frenchman and Harry Maguire have seen Lindelof become a mainstay of United’s back four.
The 27-year-old has started his team’s last seven games in all competitions and could again feature alongside Maguire against Tottenham on Saturday, should Varane remain out with a knock he picked up during the last international break.
Lindelof is under contract at United until the summer of 2024 after penning a five-year extension at Old Trafford in September 2019.
