Manchester United and Ruben Amorim want to sign a “special” £70 million star in January after holding more talks over a deal, according to a new report.

Preparations at Carrington are well underway, as Amorim gets ready for his first game in charge of the Red Devils, which comes on Sunday against Ipswich Town. January is still a month and a bit away, but since Amorim’s arrival was confirmed, United have been linked with a host of potential signings.

Fabrizio Romano says Amorim "loves" Man Utd player who is yet to make debut

Ruben Amorim has undertaken his first Man United training session and loves one key player.

ByBrett Worthington Latest Man Utd news

Amorim got training underway as United’s new head coach on Monday, after waiting for his visa to be confirmed. The Portuguese has had to work with a limited group of players due to the international break, but he will be hoping everyone is back at Carrington by Thursday at the latest.

One player who has been part of the training group since the beginning of the week is defender Leny Yoro, and Amorim is said to already “love” the Frenchman. Yoro has yet to make his competitive debut for the club due to an injury he picked up in pre-season, but he could be in line to make the matchday squad on Sunday, as he eyes a return to fitness. Yoro has been in training for a few weeks now, and despite not being at the club for long, Amorim already loves him and Kobbie Mainoo and sees them as the future of the club.

Fabrizio Romano said: “Kobbie Mainoo is a crucial player for Manchester United owners, directors, and for Manchester United staff. Ruben Amorim loves these kind of players. Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro, these sort of players are exactly the direction he wants to take for Man United’s future.

“So the new contract of Mainoo is going to be an important topic in the next few weeks and months. Man United are still working on it. We are not yet at the final stages, but the conversation remains ongoing, and the conversation remains positive on both player and club sides.”

While Amorim loves Yoro, the Portuguese and Man United also have their eye on another defender, who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time now.

Man Utd and Amorim want Branthwaite in January after talks held

According to The Daily Mail’s Confidential, Manchester United are still keen on signing Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton in January and tops the club’s Christmas list of targets. The 22-year-old has been with the Toffees since 2020, but it is only in recent years that he has been given a chance in the first team, which he has taken and performed very well.

Branthwaite, who has been described as “special” in the past by Jamie Carragher, stepped up to the first team at Goodison Park last season, playing 35 games in the Premier League and scoring three goals in the process. The centre-back hasn’t featured as much this season due to an injury but did start the last game against West Ham.

This report states United have held more talks in recent weeks about the possibility of making a January move for Branthwaite. The Red Devils are looking to operate on a more restrictive budget going forward, but the defender has plenty of admirers from Old Trafford, and there is a sense of urgency around this deal, given there are plenty of other teams interested in his services.

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United saw several bids rejected during the summer, and since then, Branthwaite has refused to sign a new contract at Everton, as they remain firm on their £70 million valuation. Sporting director Dan Ashworth is said to be the driving force behind the deal, but United have to find ways of generating the funds for Amorim so they don’t break financial fair play rules.