Lecce have already indicated that they do not want to sell Manchester United goalkeeper Patrick Dorgu this month.
The Red Devils are short of options at left full-back with Luke Shaw injured, and United's new head coach Ruben Amorim has been forced to deploy Diogo Dalot at the wrong end of the pitch in his first weeks in office.
Although United are limited in what they can do in the January transfer window, signing a left-back has emerged as a priority – and Dorgu is said to be a top target.
Discussions have already taken place about a deal that would see the 20-year-old become Amorim's first signing. But Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino was previously convinced the youngster would NOT be sold in the January window.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport last month, Corvino acknowledged the growing interest in Lecce's promising young star, but said: “Dorgu is a potential champion. Correction: he is a champion.
“On the left or right wing he runs like three players and can find the goal. He has an engine that no one else has.
“A player like him naturally has admirers, and there are plenty of them, even abroad. But Dorgu will stay here and we will talk about it this summer, because his fate is already determined. His future belongs to him.”
While Lecce would prefer a deal to be completed in the summer, United are in desperate need of reinforcements this month, with the club currently languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Amorim has failed to bring about a dramatic turnaround in results with the players he inherited in November. Sunday's 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton means he has collected just eleven points from as many games in the league.
The January reinforcements could be funded by offloading a number of high earners, including Marcus Rashford, who is expected to leave Old Trafford on loan in the next two weeks. Antony is expected to follow Rashford out the door with talks over a six-month move to La Liga, with Real Betis now in an advanced stage.
Tyrell Malacia, United's other senior left-back, could also leave United on loan before the transfer deadline in two weeks' time.
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