Premier League giants Manchester United are prepared to wait for Monaco full-back Fabinho and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane. The 20 time winners of the top flight of English football are all set to keep close tabs on Monaco’s Fabinho, with a potential January move on the cards. The Brazilian international is on the top of the list of potential winter targets after tentative inquiries over a summer move for the 22-year-old were rebuffed by the Ligue 1 side.

The Manchester based side had plans of adding Fabinho to their current squad prior to Wednesday’s transfer deadline. Despite their best efforts, Monaco’s Champions League play-off victory over La Liga side Villarreal, along with their subsequent participation in the group stages added more motive to their cause of retaining the defender.

Mourinho already knows Fabinho from his time in Spain with the current reigning champions of Europe, Real Madrid. The right-back completed his move to the Bernabeu on loan from Portuguese side Rio Ave back in 2012 and has since then been doing a decent job.

He made one appearance for Real Madrid as a substitute during a 6-2 win over their domestic rivals Malaga back in May 2013. He moved to Ligue 1 outfit Monaco on loan in the same year and signed permanently for them back in 2015.

At 6ft 2ins, he fits the ‘profile’ for Mourinho, who has played Antonio Valencia, a winger, as his first-choice right-back so far this season.

Matteo Darmian has also been included in the squad, although the Italian is yet to make a competitive appearance under his new manager.

Mourinho is also looking at Raphael Varane’s situation at the Bernabeu. United were interested in the French defender this summer before he was convinced to stay in Spain by Zidane.

Varane had lost his place to Portuguese international Pepe at the end of the last campaign but has started Real’s first three games of the new campaign.