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According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are confident of completing a £50million deal to sign Tottenham full-back Danny Rose in the January transfer window.
United were linked with a summer move for Rose after the full-back made controversial comments about Tottenham’s wage structure.
Speculation was rife in the British media that there was a rife between Rose and boss Mauricio Pochettino after the full-back was left out of the matchday squad for the north London derby against Arsenal. However, Pochettino insists that there is no issue between the pair.
A problem position
The left-back position has been a problem one for the Manchester United in recent seasons. Highly rated England full-back Luke Shaw is currently out-of-favour with United boss Jose Mourinho.
Media reports suggest the former Southampton star could leave Old Trafford in January. Ironically, Spurs had previously been a mooted destination for Shaw, who was previously managed at Southampton by Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Winger Ashley Young has been deputising at left-back this season, while Dutch international Daley Blind and Marco Rojo also appeared in the position last season.
Young has actually performed well in the role. However, the former England international is just a stopgap while the Red Devils find a specialist player to fill the position in the long-term.
Rose is not undisputed first-choice left-back
Rose missed some of last season and the majority of this season through injury. In fact, the 27-year-old has made just two Premier League starts for Spurs this season. Meanwhile, Wales international full-back Ben Davies has impressed in Rose’s absence.
The pair were part of squad rotation by Pochettino last season when both were fit. However, Davies performances this season have been enough to suggest that he may well be the first-choice Spurs left-back for some time to come.
Davies has scored two goals and provided three assists this season in the English top-flight, proving his worth going forward as well as in defence.
Pair in midweek Champions League action
Both Manchester United and Tottenham are in Champions League action in midweek. The pair are favourites to win their groups as they head into the last round of games of the group stages.
United host CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford on Tuesday night and have all-but sealed their place in the knockout stages courtesy of a vastly superior goal difference to second place Basel and the visitors. Mourinho’s side could afford to lose and still win the group.
The other game in the group sees rock-bottom Benfica hosting second-place Basel, a game that could prove vital for the Swiss’ side’s chances of qualification.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are top of a group that contains European champions Real Madrid. A win and a draw against the Spanish giants earlier in the campaign mean that Pochettino’s men are in pole position to top the group.
The north London side only needs to draw at home against Cypriot side APOEL on Wednesday night to win the group. Tottenham are currently ahead of second place Real Madrid by three points, but the Spanish side have superior goal difference. That means Spurs cannot afford to lose Wednesday nights clash.
Will Manchester United sign Danny Rose in January?
