Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Sadio Mane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic Rumours

Manchester United are set to renew their interest in Southampton winger Sadio Mane in the January transfer window.

According to Fichajes, via Metro's George Bellshaw, United boss Louis van Gaal is "desperate" to sign the Senegalese star after missing out on him last summer.

Mane might not be the kind of marquee name the Old Trafford faithful might be hoping for, but the exciting young star could prove to be an excellent acquisition. Sports journalist Jonas Giaever highlights the qualities he can bring to United:

The winger is in exceptional form, and his return of five goals and six assists in all competitions this season indicates his growing ability to showcase his talents consistently—previously a weakness, as Giaever noted.

Those impressive tallies already put the 23-year-old well on his way to surpassing last season's total of 13 goals and nine assists in all competitions.

Writing for WhoScored.com, Martin Laurence picked out his dribbling ability and strength as two of his key attributes, even likening him to the incredible Sergio Aguero:

"Mane's ability not only to breeze past players—only four have completed more dribbles this season (21)—but also compete physically with the league's strongest defenders is akin to that of Sergio Aguero."

The effervescent star also provides a sharp contrast to United captain Wayne Rooney, who no longer resembles the marauding attacker who wreaked havoc in his youth. Squawka Football demonstrated the difference in Southampton's clash with United earlier in the season:

Pacey, technically gifted and driven, Mane is an excellent candidate to restore thrilling play down the Red Devils' flanks, particularly as Juan Mata has been forced to cover out wide.

The Spaniard is a magnificent player—one of United's best—but a winger he is not.

Southampton would undoubtedly be reluctant to lose one of their stars, but that has not stopped them being cherry-picked by the likes of United and Liverpool in seasons past. However, the annual player exodus at St Mary's tends to happen in the summer, so they may be forced to wait until then.

A reported target for United last summer was Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will no doubt have plenty of suitors next year when his contract expires.

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

Should United attempt to land him on a free transfer, they could face competition from MLS side Orlando City, according to TMW via talkSPORT, who add the striker's comments in the summer that in his future lies "a very big surprise."

The prolific Swede is one of the most decorated players in the game today and recently became PSG's all-time top scorer with 110 goals—in a staggering 137 matches. The 34-year-old has also shown his ability to create for his side, assisting 47 times in the same period.

A season in the Premier League—the only top European league in which he is yet to play, apart from the Bundesliga—could tempt the striker as he leaves Paris.

However, as he now enters the twilight of his career, a move to America perhaps seems the more likely option.

The likes of Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba have all recently made the switch to the U.S., and as Drogba has shown with his recent form, older players can still dominate thanks to the lower standard in the MLS.

Expect Ibrahimovic to be the latest in a growing list of marquee players heading to America when his contract runs out.