MANCHESTER - Manchester United will try to sign Chelsea midfielder Willian and Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld this summer, according to sources at ESPN FC.
Jose Mourinho was eager to bring in 29-year-old Willian to Old Trafford last year and, according to sources, the Brazilian international was open to the move.
Chelsea, however, refused to sell and Mourinho was forced to turn his attention to Inter Milan's Ivan Perisic before finally bolstering his forward line with the arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January.
Since the arrival of the Chilean forward, Mourinho has been unwavering in his stance that he will not seek to bring in another attacker before next season.
But doubts over the future of Anthony Martial, who is wanted by Juventus after finding opportunities limited at the first team where he is behind Sanchez, have led United to reconsider the prospect of signing Willian, a player highly respected by Mourinho after their time together at Stamford Bridge.
United, however, must first convince Chelsea to sell and, after the fans' negative reaction to the sale of Nemanja Matic last summer, it is not an easy feat.
Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN FC that Tottenham is resigned to losing Alderweireld this summer as the Belgian midfielder refuses to sign an extension to his contract.
Injuries limited the 29-year-old player to just 14 starts in the Premier League this season and, with Tottenham ready to cash in, sources have told ESPN FC that there is hope at United of reaching an agreement.
Sources have told ESPN FC that Danny Rose, another player of interest for Mourinho, could also leave Tottenham this summer after being behind Ben Davies in the pecking order.
Doncaster-born Rose is keen on returning to the north of England and the 27-year-old is one of the left-backs being considered by Mourinho, along with Juventus' Alex Sandro, Celtic's Kieran Tierney, and Espanyol's Aaron Martin.
Sources have told ESPN FC that Mourinho's priority this summer remains a central midfielder to replace Michael Carrick, who retired on Sunday.
Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio, and Jean Michael Seri from Nice are possibilities.
United could still be forced to sign two midfielders before the start of next season if Marouane Fellaini decides his future lies away from Old Trafford.