Manchester United Transfer News: Jose Mourinho Watched Emil Forsberg vs. Italy

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho attended Sweden's 1-0 FIFA World Cup play-off win over Italy on Friday, and according to the latest reports, he was there to watch RB Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg in person.

Per Simon Jones of the Mail on Sunday, the 26-year-old didn't disappoint, as he picked up the man-of-the-match award in a great performance. The win gave the Swedes a great chance at qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, with the return leg taking place at the iconic San Siro stadium in Milan.

Forsberg joined Leizpig from Malmo in 2015, when the team was still active in Germany's lower divisions. The speedster has only impressed since, playing a crucial role in the side's remarkable rise and great run in the Bundesliga last season.

As you can see in these highlights, he's an expert provider:

Forsberg is more than just a smart passer, however:

The wing position has been something of a sore spot for United for some time, and there's little doubt Mourinho has plans to address it in a big way.

The Red Devils were linked with Inter Milan's Ivan Perisic throughout the summer, and they could return to Milan with an offer for the Croat in the future, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Jamie Gordon of The Sun). Inter have proved reluctant to let him go, however, and have since signed the winger to a new deal.

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Forsberg could be a viable alternative, although it remains to be seen whether he would be any cheaper or easier to obtain. Die Roten Bullen proved difficult to negotiate with this summer, as Liverpool spent weeks chasing Naby Keita's signature before agreeing to a complex deal that will see the midfielder arrive at Anfield next year.

With Keita on his way out, Leipzig will not be keen on losing another key contributor. They also have no financial need to sell in the wake of the Keita transfer and are backed by energy drink giant Red Bull.

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Forsberg would be a great fit at Old Trafford, where goals are not the problem. Between Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, United will have plenty of firepower in 2018―getting the ball to those two is the main issue.

Passing is what Forsberg does best, and he can play on either wing or even in a central role if needed. He's reminiscent of Manchester City's David Silva in that way, although he's a much more physically impressive specimen.

Dealing with Leipzig will be tricky, and a January move seems all but impossible. RB are ambitious, and Bayern Munich have shown signs of weakness this season―the east Germans will believe in their title chances and need Forsberg if they are to unseat the Bavarians.