Report: Manchester United eye swap deal for Southampton defender

Manchester United are willing to offer Marcos Rojo to Southampton as part of the deal to bring Jose Fonte to Old Trafford, according to the Daily Mirror.

The report suggests Jose Mourinho is keen to add more experience to his defense and has identified Fonte as a key target, but the Red Devils face competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal.

32-year-old Fonte, who was one of Portugal’s most important players during their historic Euro 2016 triumph earlier this summer, has been heavily linked with a move away from St. Mary’s Stadium in the past couple of weeks.

It seems like United and Arsenal both want to sign Fonte this summer, with Mourinho even willing to include Rojo as part of the deal.

Southampton were reportedly interested in Marcos Rojo two years ago, but the Argentine international opted to move to Old Trafford instead.

Rojo failed to establish himself in the United starting eleven under Van Gaal last season and it seems like he won’t be a starter under Mourinho either.

Even though Rojo is younger than Fonte, swapping the Argentine for Southampton’s captain would improve United’s squad.

However, these swap deals rarely materialize, so if United want to sign Fonte, it’d probably be a cash-only deal.