Manchester United reportedly identy Atletico Madrid midfielder as latest winter transfer target

Manchester United have been making plans for the next transfer window, which will be taking place a couple of months from now in January, despite spending around £250 million earlier this summer. While the focus of their summer signings was revamping their attack as well as on buying a new goalkeeper, manager Ruben Amorim will be looking at shoring up the midfield and defence this winter.

And the players who are being targeted by the Red Devils for boosting their midfield is Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, according to Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

England midfielder Gallagher had moved to Atletico from Chelsea last year, but is reportedly considering the option of returning home and playing in the Premier League again after limited starts for Atletico this LaLiga season.

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Gallagher one of several targets in United’s quest to boost midfield

Gallagher currently earns £200,000 on a weekly basis at Atletico, and the 11-time Spanish top-flight champions will likely set a high value for the 25-year-old, who had been loaned to several club by Chelsea including Crystal Palace.

United had spent a fortune on transfers earlier this year in order to allow Amorim to rebuild the squad as per his needs despite the 20-time English top-flight champions finishing 15th in the last Premier League season.

And given their recent resurgence, with the club currently on a five-match unbeaten run after their 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim is likely to get the approval of Jim Ratcliffe, the club’s co-owner whose group INEOS is in charge of football operations, for winter trades.

Besides Gallagher, United are also pursuing Palace’s Adam Wharton and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, and haven't given up on Brighton's Carlos Baleba yet despite the Seagulls setting a steep price for the Cameroonian earlier this summer.

United are expected to acquire at least a couple of midfield options in the new year, especially with Kobbie Mainoo falling down the pecking order and Manuel Ugarte struggling to make an impact this season, which has put the likes of captain Bruno Fernandes and the veteran Casemiro under further pressure.