Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made signing a creative midfielder his top priority this month and has earmarked Jack Grealish and James Maddison as key targets, claims The Independent.
Solskjaer is desperate to sign at least one new central midfielder in the January transfer window after recieving news both Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay faced an extended spell on the sidelines.
United have been heavily linked with a move for Leicester midfielder Maddison all season but the club acknowledge they will struggle to prise him away from the Foxes midway through the season.
It is by no means an impossible task but it would require a monster fee in order to convince Leicester to sell their star man when they are challenging for a top four position in the league.
Maddison is the sixth highest WhoScored rated player in the Premier League this season (7.53) and has played a direct hand in nine goals in 20 appearances in the competition (six goals, three assists).
The England international is not the only creative player United have their eyes on this month, however, with Villa captain Grealish now on Solskjaer's radar following a strong upturn in form in recent months.
Grealish struggled to get going at the start of the season but his performances have improved significantly over the Christmas period, with many calling for Gareth Southgate to include the 24-year-old in his plans for Euro 2020.
The Villa midfielder has even crept into the top-10 WhoScored rated players in the Premier League this season (7.41), courtesy of two WhoScored Man of the Match awards in his last three games.
Grealish has created more goalscoring chances (52) than Maddison (49) in the league this term and has played a direct hand in two more goals (six goals, five assists).
United will endure similar difficulties getting Villa to cash in on their star man and also convincing Grealish to abandon his boyhood club mid-season when they are battling relegation.
