Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona centre-back Andreas Christensen but will face a battle to capture him ahead of Juventus.
Ruben Amorim's United were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle United on December 30, succumbing to their fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League.
While the Portuguese boss's arrival at Old Trafford was met positively by fans, the club are now 14th in the table with just 22 points after 19 games.
The club have not kept a clean sheet in their last eight fixtures, and the team's form is so dire that relegation from the top flight has been mooted as a distinct possibility.
Mundo Deportivo report that the Red Devils hold serious interest in Christensen and would like to add him to their defensive ranks in the winter transfer window in order to help rectify their poor performances, but note that they face fierce competition from Juventus.
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How badly do Manchester United need reinforcements?
In their last eight matches in all competitions, United have conceded 18 goals, and the likes of Lisandro Martinez have come under increasing scrutiny for poor performances in the backline.
The club have conceded 21 times and scored 17 goals in 11 games under Amorim so far, and with matches against Liverpool and Arsenal to come in their next two fixtures, it would not be surprising if the club's defensive frailty was further exposed.
One of the reasons opponents get so much freedom to attack United's backline is that the team's centre-backs seem reluctant to step forward and shut down the space in front of the defence, and unless this attitude to defending changes, goalkeeper Andre Onana is unlikely to keep many clean sheets.
However, signing Christensen could be a risk given he only returned to training with his club side on Sunday after overcoming tendinopathy in his left Achilles tendon that forced him to undergo surgery.
The 28-year-old Danish centre-back has in fact only made one appearance in La Liga for Barca this term and has only made 30 or more appearances in a league season once in his prior seven campaigns.
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How far will Manchester United sink without January signings?
Amorim himself has admitted the United could find themselves in a relegation battle this season, and his statement is remarkable considering the Red Devils have spent huge sums on players throughout the squad.
During the team's loss against Newcastle, former Manchester United player Gary Neville said: "They have been absolutely awful. You are watching the worst pound-for-pound team in the country."
With reports that United are struggling to raise funds to revamp the playing staff in January, there are fears that Amorim could be left to deal with the problems he inherited from Erik ten Hag for the rest of the season.
Selling Marcus Rashford was seen as a viable option to raise cash given his status as a home-grown player would significantly aid in complying with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, but the forward's wages have so far proven prohibitive for clubs in Europe.
Amorim deserves sympathy for the situation he was brought into, and it is imperative that the Red Devils try to bring in reinforcements in the January window in order to help him implement his style of play.
Lewis Nolan
