Manchester United are reportedly preparing to make ambitious summer moves for Crystal Palace full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Barcelona playmaker Ivan Rakitic.
The Red Devils are aiming to reinstate themselves as title challengers next term and the transfer targets are seen as a key way to make up the ground on rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, according to TalkSport.
Wan-Bissaka has emerged as one of England’s brightest defensive prospects at Palace, making 37 top flight appearances since being handed his debut by Roy Hodgson at the back-end of last season.
The 21-year-old could be seen as a potential long-term replacement for the ageing pair of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia.
Former Watford winger Young proved he is still capable of influencing matches at the highest level by finding the net against Wan-Bissaka’s current club on Wednesday night, but at 33 he is not a long-term option for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Valencia is also 33 and his best years are likely to be behind him while Diogo Dalot, signed by former manager Jose Mourinho, has underwhelmed at right-back.
One of Mourinho’s major concerns while in charge at Old Trafford centred on the heart of defence and it appears United remain keen to strengthen in that area.
The highly-rated Koulibaly is reportedly another target but United may have to spend big to sign the sought after Napoli centre-half.
According to The Sun, United sent chief scout Jim Lawlor to watch the defender play against Fiorentina in Serie A earliest this month but expect they would need to shell out £90million for the centre-half.
That would break the record set by Virgil van Dijk when he joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for £75m.
The final player on the Old Trafford watch-list according to the radio station is World Cup runner-up Rakitic.
The Barcelona play-maker could potentially see his position called into question this summer when new £65m signing Frenkie de Jong arrives from Ajax.
With Arthur Melo excelling in midfield and Sergio Busquets proving indefatigable – not to mention the rise of the versatile Carles Alena – Rakitic’s certain-starter status may well lapse at the end of the season.
Sportsmail have previously reported that United are monitoring the tempo-dictator’s situation at the Nou Camp – although he remains happy in Catalunya.
Rakitic said in January: ‘Since I’ve been here I do not know how many times I’ve left and I’m back. I’m more than happy here and my intention is to be here longer. The other day I gave the president a little nudge to see if he would start my renewal.’