Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Michael Keane, Chris Smalling

Manchester United could reportedly miss out on signing Burnley's Michael Keane to Liverpool due to a "lack of urgency," although the England defender is thought to be prioritising a return to Old Trafford.

According to Warren Haughton in The Sun, Keane wants to leave Turf Moor, and Liverpool already have a five-year contract offer on the table, getting in ahead of United despite the 24-year-old reportedly being manager Jose Mourinho's No. 1 defensive target.

Haughton added that United feel Keane's preference is to return to United, the club he left permanently for Burnley in 2015 when sold by former manager Louis van Gaal.

That attitude chimes with The Telegraph's James Ducker's report that suggested United are confident of winning the race to sign Keane.

Clearly, though, United cannot afford to be complacent, as Liverpool are seemingly eager for Keane to move to Anfield.

Keane has started 35 of Burnley's 36 Premier League matches in 2016-17 and proved himself to be a supremely talented defender. He's dominant in the air and when interrupting opposition attacks, while he's also more than capable with the ball at his feet, per Squawka:

United are in desperate need of centre-back reinforcements. Summer signing Eric Bailly has been impressive in his debut season and is likely to be a United stalwart for years to come.

Marcos Rojo has improved immensely under Mourinho having been widely criticised in previous seasons, but his recent injury is a cause for concern.

Meanwhile, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling continue to be injury-prone and inconsistent, and Haughton reported their futures at United could be in jeopardy should Mourinho sign his desired two new central defenders.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News does not believe Smalling deserves a place in the United squad:

Certainly Keane could be a long-term upgrade, and with Axel Tuanzebe impressing on his Premier League debut against Arsenal, United could yet have a solid centre-back quartet that does not include Jones or Smalling.