Manchester United transfers rumours and news: English giants 'could face' Fifa ban; Sir Alex Ferguson may return; Jose Mourinho fancies chances

All the latest speculation to emerge from Old Trafford on Sunday 17 January

Jose Mourinho with Sir Alex Ferguson (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester United and their Premier League rivals could face transfer bans similar to the one suffered by Real Madrid and Atletico last week. That is the view of Madrid director general Jose Angel Sanchez, speaking to Spanish radio, after his club were banned by Fifa from completing transfers for two windows – this coming summer and January 2017.

Punished for breaking the rules on cross-border transactions involving at least 51 teenage players, Sanchez believes English clubs could be hit too. Speaking to Cadena Ser, Sanchez said: “I have relations with British clubs and I know for a fact that in many of these cases the disciplinary investigations have already started a while ago.”

Despite their impending ban, Madrid still fancy their chances of signing goalkeeper David De Gea. The Independent reports today that the Spanish outfit have held meetings to decide how they will navigate their way around the suspension. Madrid have decided not to rush through signings this month and remain confident of winning their appeal, opening the door to sign De Gea in six months.

After nearly joining Real last summer, the Spaniard remains a primary target mostly due to his age and status as much as his talent. He is seen as being the club’s goalkeeper for the next decade. It remains to be seen how United would respond to the attention – regardless of the outcome of the appeal – after the Spaniard signed a new deal in 2015.

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea (Getty Images)

Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly prepared to return from retirement to help smooth the transition into Ryan Giggs’s management if and when the club appoint the Welshman as manager. The Sunday People suggest the Red Devils legend, who left the game in 2013, would only come back into the fold to help his former player settle into his old chalice at Old Trafford.

Current boss Louis van Gaal is under intense scrutiny and could yet be relieved of his duties, according to reports, if he fails to pick up a result at Liverpool this afternoon. Since assisting with the disastrous appointment of David Moyes, Ferguson has effectively been excluded from any of the key strategic decisions taken by the club.

Meanwhile former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is said to be adamant he will take over from Van Gaal at United – in the next six months. The Sun on Sunday speculate the Portuguese has even sounded out a host of his assistants to ask who would be willing to join him at Old Trafford when he is offered the post.

Mourinho enjoys a positive relationship with Ferguson but some members of the club’s hierarchy are known to have objections to his prospective arrival. He has stayed in England after being sacked by the Blues last month and is ready to get back to work immediately.