Jose Mourinho wants La Liga duo in club's defence

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly set his sights on pursuing Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane from Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively during the summer.

The Red Devils currently possess the second-best defensive record in the Premier League, but they have still had vulnerabilities at the back in the away games with goalkeeper David de Gea saving their blushes on numerous occasions.

According to The Star, Mourinho is planning for a change of personnel in the central defensive department where the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are said to be fighting for their futures.

As per the report, the Special One is said to be in regular contact with Umtiti, who has a £52m release clause on his contract. The Frenchman is presently in a contract standoff with Barcelona and this may play into the hands of United, who are prepared to meet his £8m-a-year wage demands.

Meanwhile, United are also keeping tabs on Varane who has not had the best of seasons since extending his contract with Los Blancos. Spanish sources suggest that the Frenchman could be prised away from the Bernabeu for a sum of around £50m.