Manchester United want Valladolid defender Mohammed Salisu

That is according to a report in Diario AS, which claims Atleti have already made contact for him while United have held a long-standing interest in the player.

A report in Sky Sports from January claimed Southampton were interested in a deal while a report in Diario de Valladolid from November claimed the defender had emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United.

The player’s agent is the father of United playmaker Juan Mata and the Red Devils have been alerted to his €12m release clause – viewed as affordable, and the club have extensively scouted the 20-year-old.

The central defender’s contract at Valladolid runs through until 2022 having been penned back in May, while he is yet to be capped for the Ghanaian national team.