Manchester United Transfer News: Ryan Bertrand Rumoured as Danny Rose Back-Up

Manchester United will reportedly turn to Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand if they fail to recruit Tottenham Hotspur misfit Danny Rose this summer.

The Sun (h/t Metro) reported Bertrand is "likely to request a transfer" in the summer, which is sure to be true in the event Saints drop down to the Championship come the end of this term.

The Red Devils are currently dealing with one faltering investment from Southampton—in Bertrand's position no less—with former Saints star Luke Shaw making 19 appearances this season, only seven of which have been in the Premier League.

United manager Jose Mourinho has therefore turned to converted midfielder Ashley Young as his stand-in in the role for much of his almost two years in charge, and blogger Liam Canning indicated why:

Metro's report quoted The Sun as saying Bertrand could be available for £25 million, an affordable sum for United, but at 28 years of age, the England international brings neither long-term potential nor an elite presence to the role.

Mourinho could decide to cut ties with Shaw this summer, four years after he was brought to Old Trafford, and Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News suggested it's down to character differences:

Ben Davies has taken the reins as Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino's go-to left-back in recent times, with Rose's position at the club in a state of flux for a while now.

The 27-year-old is regarded as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League on his day and was named in each of the last two PFA Premier League Teams of the Year.

Rose was coping with injury issues at the start of this season, but his most recent appearances on the Tottenham bench now look merely to be down to selection from his boss.

Pochettino recently touched on the topic of his relationship with Rose, per ESPN FC's Ben Pearce, which has been affected since the player's comments regarding Spurs' transfer activity and ambition last summer, per the Guardian:

Former Chelsea fringe player Bertrand has flourished for parts of his Southampton tenure and found a home on the south coast that has allowed him to shine in ways he couldn't while at Stamford Bridge.

That being said, a move for the player this summer looks like it could be more out of convenience than anything else, with Saints eyeing the possibility of having to sell their stars if they drop to England's second tier.