Manchester United Transfer News: James Rodriguez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly poised to beat Chelsea to the signature of Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez.

According to Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express, having seemingly pipped the Blues to the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton, the Red Devils are ready to trump the champions again in pursuit of the talented Colombian in a potential £70 million deal.

"Real president Florentino Perez is believed to favour a deal with Chelsea but won't dig his heels in as he needs to bolster his side's bank balance," Fissler reported. "James has been a United target for the last two years, and it now appears that their patience will finally be rewarded."

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As Fissler noted, United captain Wayne Rooney is set to return to Everton; Rodriguez would be an upgrade on the England international.

After all, while he's unable to force his way into the Real Madrid team on a consistent basis, the Colombian is hugely talented. Since he arrived at the club in 2014, he's always contributed in the final third, per OptaJose:

Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has sought to add robustness to Los Blancos at the expense of attacking guile, leaving Rodriguez a long way down the pecking order.

While United boss Jose Mourinho would demand hard work and defensive diligence from Rodriguez, the Red Devils are in a position where they could find a place for the 25-year-old in the XI. There's no doubt he has the quality to influence games in the Premier League.

Rodriguez needs to kickstart his career again, and if Mourinho can light a fire under him, the Old Trafford club would have a world-class footballer on its hands.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Return Rumours

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According to Simon Mullock of the Sunday Mirror, Manchester United may opt to re-sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic once the striker has recovered from his injury.

The Red Devils released the Sweden international at the end of the previous campaign after he suffered a knee problem. However, the veteran has been utilising the club's training facilities during his rehabilitation.

"United wanted the Swede to sign a one-year ­extension before he was injured, but there was also interest from the United States and China," Mullock reported. "But it is understood that Ibrahimovic has been so impressed by the level of care lavished on him ­throughout the summer that he will give United the first option when he ­returns."

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Ibrahimovic was a big hit at United before he suffered his injury, providing an imperious focal point at the sharp end of the pitch and offering exceptional leadership. As noted by Squawka Football, he had quite the year:

While United look poised to complete the signing of Lukaku, having announced a fee has been agreed, Ibrahimovic could still be a major asset.

After all, he excels in all the areas in which Lukaku struggles; with his back to goal, Ibrahimovic is as talented as any striker in the world, while his ability to bring other players into the game is unrivalled. There will be concerns as to whether he can reach those levels again following such a significant layoff, though.