Manchester United Transfer News: Rumours on Antonio Rudiger, Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Manchester United are reportedly ready to test AS Roma with a move to sign Antonio Rudiger, but Chelsea will offer serious competition to land the centre-back. Meanwhile, the Red Devils were allegedly warned against signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer.

MailOnline (h/t Metro's Lee Thomas-Mason) reported Rudiger is on United's radar, and although the Giallorossi are fans of the player, they may not be able to resist an offer upwards of £35 million.

United added to their back line this summer with the arrival of Villarreal centre-back Eric Bailly, but manager Jose Mourinho may be eager to continue remodelling his defence following a shaky start to the season which has left them seventh in the Premier League.

The Red Devils were dismantled by Chelsea and lost 4-0 in their trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, a result Yahoo's Liam Canning saw as a damning indictment of the current back line at Old Trafford:

Bailly was taken off injured in the second half of that contest, and United's leaky defence only worsened from there, meaning Rudiger could be eyeing an automatic place in the starting XI if he did move.

Chelsea won't be the only competition for United if they pursue the Germany international, though, after Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson sourced a report from French newspaper L'Equipe, which hinted Paris Saint-Germain are also interested:

Rudiger is just making his comeback from a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, but a promising remainder of the campaign could still see him court attention in time for next summer's transfer window.

Elsewhere, The Independent's Mark Ogden reported members of Louis van Gaal's coaching staff had doubts about Mkhitaryan and his ability to cope in the Premier League prior to his arrival this summer. The winger has stumbled this season, and Squawka put his swift fall into numbers:

Mkhitaryan joined United from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £26.3 million, but Mourinho has hardly used the player and omitted him from the last two matchday squads.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News explained the strange turn of events in finer detail, with the Red Devils seemingly in need of a player of Mkhitaryan's exact skill set:

Mourinho did what predecessor Van Gaal did not and brought the Armenian international to England, but it appears fears over his physicality and stamina in England may have been on the money.

There's no reason to suggest United would consider cashing in on Mkhitaryan just yet, but after starting just once for his new club this term, alarm bells may be ringing just months after his arrival.