Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly considering Nemanja Matic as an option at centre-back, should the club fail to sign a new defender.
United - who have five players available for the role - are allegedly on the hunt for a new defensive talisman, with Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld on the list of potential targets.
According to The Mirror, however, Mourinho will be happy to use Serbian midfielder Matic in defence for the club's opening Premier League game against Leicester City.
The newspaper says that Eric Bailly is Mourinho's favoured defender ahead of Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Victor Lindelof and Phil Jones, and he wants Maguire or Alderweireld to partner the Ivorian.
United have so far brought in Diogo Dalot, Fred and Lee Grant ahead of the new campaign.