United’s eagerness to comply with Premier League spending regulations means the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund, who are all deemed to be homegrown, could be available for the right price.

Chelsea are in “pole position” to sign Kobbie Mainoo whose representatives “have reached a stalemate in contract talks” with Manchester United, thus “alerting Europe’s top clubs to the fact he could be sold this month or at the end of the season”.