Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Victor Lindelof, Jose Fonte

Manchester United have moved a step closer to signing Benfica centre-back Victor Lindelof, according to reports from Sweden. The Eagles are said to have resolved issues with Lindelof's former club and are now in a position to let him move to Old Trafford.

A report from Swedish publication Expressen (h/t Mark Brus for Metro.co.uk) detailed how "Benfica and Vasteras had been at a disagreement over the payment of various fees and clauses." These issues are said to have been settled, and United are still expected to pay £38 million to bring 22-year-old rising star Lindelof to the Premier League.

The sell-on clause in Lindelof's deal with Benfica, one designed to compensate old club Vasteras, was reportedly the sticking point.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News provided some details: "Sources in Portugal indicate Lindelof's transfer to United is 'still on,' but Vasteras are entitled to 20 per cent of Lindelof's next transfer fee, and the dispute over an outstanding payment of €250,000 has proved to be an additional stumbling block in negotiations."

Of course, this is a transfer saga typically swinging back and forth on a daily basis. To help illustrate the point, recent reports also indicated Benfica were still acting as if the transfer will go ahead by leaving Lindelof out of matchday squads, per Mark Critchley of The Independent.

If it is now full speed ahead, United will eventually be getting a combative and cultured young defender who can become a mainstay of a new-look back four. Manager Jose Mourinho signed Eric Bailly in the summer but needs another quality defender next to the ultra-athletic 22-year-old once the former Villarreal man returns from the Africa Cup of Nations.

In the meantime, Mourinho needs a building block he feels confident in to hold together a defence that's been inconsistent at times this season. Confidence in the defenders he has hasn't exactly been a theme of the season for Mourinho.

The United chief has indicated a willingness to sell England international Chris Smalling, per Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star Sunday. He's also preferred to play Daley Blind at left-back.

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Mourinho has been trusting Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo in recent matches, but there are question marks about both. Jones has a history of being injury-prone, while Rojo is reckless on the pitch.

Lindelof would be a player Mourinho and his staff could count on to stabilise things until Bailly returns to form what would surely be a formidable partnership. Until then, United may even look for a Premier League-ready stopgap at the back.

United Target Jose Fonte Hands In Transfer Request

Southampton's veteran centre-back Jose Fonte has handed in a transfer request, the club's director of football has revealed. Les Reed told BBC Radio Solent (h/t The Sun's Fred Nathan) that the 33-year-old defender wants to leave the Saints this month.

Nathan believes Portugal international Fonte wants to join his countryman Mourinho at Old Trafford: "Southampton club captain Jose Fonte has handed in a transfer request to force a transfer to Manchester United in the January window."

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Fonte was heavily linked with a move to United last summer, following his string of impressive displays to help Portugal win UEFA Euro 2016. The player even discussed the possible deal with United that never happened, per Mark Brus for Metro.co.uk.

Fonte would have been a smart signing then, and he still makes some sense as a United target now. For one thing, he's the exact type of bullish and uncompromising centre-back Mourinho loves.

Fonte is excellent in the air, while also useful being on the deck. He knows the Premier League well so would be up to speed immediately.

In other words, Fonte is the ideal man to stabilise a defence short-term.

However, not everybody is enamoured with the idea Mourinho might bring a player with his best years behind him to Old Trafford this month. Some United fans have expressed their doubts on social media, per TalkSport.

Retooling in defence is an obvious priority for Mourinho, so it makes sense for there to be many rumours connecting United with eligible centre-backs. Signing Lindelof would give the club a potential talisman for the next decade, while Fonte's experience would prove invaluable now.