Manchester United ready to bring in Real Madrid bench warmer

Reports from Spain have suggested that could be some truth to the rumours that Manchester United are ready to sign Fabio Coentrao from Real Madrid.

The English champions agreed a deal to bring Coentrao on loan last summer, with the view to making it a permanent transfer, and completed all the paperwork on their end. However, Real Madrid failed to bring in a replacement at the last minute so didn’t submit their paperwork and pulled a plug on the deal.

Earlier this week, David Moyes was asked whether it was true United were close to agreeing a move for the January transfer window. “No, that’s not true,” he insisted.

However, following the catastrophic transfer window in the summer, it is understandable that the club would be keen to play down any transfer rumours, so that any business they do can be seen as a positive. A few months ago, Ed Woodward promised the fans that money was available for them to buy any world class talent they wanted, but in the end the only player United signed was Marouane Fellaini.

Coentrao has struggled with injuries since the summer and Carlo Ancelotti has preferred Marcelo to him at left back, meaning the 25-year-old is keen to leave the club, to ensure he is in the best possible form ahead of the World Cup this summer. His agent, Jorge Mendes, was in Manchester this week, although it is likely he was also working a deal to take Anderson away from the club, with Fiorentina confirming their interest today.