By Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

7th Oct, 2023 | 7:30am

Sources: Man United plan to sign defender in January - duo to be sold

Man United are keen to sign another centre-back in January but will have to sell Harry Maguire or Scott McTominay to raise the funds, sources have told Football Insider.

Football Insider revealed on Friday (6 October) that Man United have scouted Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio in recent weeks as they draw up transfer plans for the January window.

It is believed Sporting are now resigned to losing Inacio, who is also a target for Liverpool, in the near future.

But for Man United to seal a deal for the Portugal international in January, they will need to make big-money sales of their own in the mid-season window.

Nevertheless, it is believed Inacio is a long-term target for the Red Devils – who could be among several top European sides to firm up their interest in the summer window of 2024.

The defender is under contract until June 2027, but the £52million release clause in his deal makes a move away from Sporting a very real possibility.

Inacio has played every minute of all nine games for Sporting so far in the 2023-24 campaign and is now a regular in the senior Portugal setup.

Both Maguire and McTomiay have been involved sparingly under Erik ten Hag this season after his attempts to sell the pair in the off-season.

Maguire has made just three appearances across all competitions this season totalling 116 minutes of action.

Meanwhile, McTominay has turned out five times across all competitions for Man United this term, with those outings totalling 203 minutes of action.

Man United are keen to add another centre-back to their squad after injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez compounded a bad start to the 2023-24 campaign.

Ten Hag’s side have won just two of a possible seven league games and have lost twice in the Champions League.

In other news, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s three-year Man United takeover plan revealed.