Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho hoping Danny Drinkwater will follow Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford

Drinkwater joined United at the age of nine but made no first-team appearances

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After the return of Paul Pogba to Old Trafford for a world-record £89m this summer, Manchester United are interested in bringing yet another former trainee back to the club.

Leicester City star Danny Drinkwater is a shock £30m target for Jose Mourinho when the January transfer window opens, according the Sun.

The United boss spent around £150m on four summer arrivals as Pogba was joined by £30m Eric Bailly, £26m Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free.

However, Mourinho is still reportedly unimpressed with his midfield options after they were overrun during the 2-1 defeat to rivals Manchester City.

There is money available for the England international to return to the north-west should Mourinho pursue his interest in the Manchester-born midfielder further.

Drinkwater joined the Red Devils at the age of nine but never made a first-team appearance as he was sent out on loan to Huddersfield, Cardiff City, Watford and Barnsley before joining Leicester for a nominal fee in January 2012.

(Getty Images (Getty Images)

Mourinho has had problems finding Pogba’s best position, whether it is in a more attacking role or as a box to box midfielder but he believes Drinkwater’s arrival would allow the Frenchman more freedom to push forward.

However, the Foxes would not want to allow the 26-year-old to leave having tied him to a new five-year deal worth £90,000-a-week and it would be even tougher to prize Drinkwater away should Leicester qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

United will be willing to offer wages of around £150,000-a-week to bring him back and should the move materialise, it would mirror Pogba’s return and mean United would have splurged out nearly £120m on two players they allowed to leave for next to nothing.