Jose Mourinho must be desperate to sign a centre-back when the January transfer window reopens in less than a month.

The Portuguese tried and failed to bolster his defensive options during the summer window, but the United board were unable to secure any of his primary targets. Pursuits of Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng and Toby Alderweireld all fell flat, leaving Mourinho to persist with his current crop of defenders. Perhaps as a sign of disappointment to the board, the ex-Chelsea boss has used various midfielders in defence at times throughout the season.

The January transfer window is almost upon us and signing a defender will remain a priority for the Red Devils. Mourinho will reportedly allow Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo to leave the club in order to generate funds to sign a world-class defender.

One man who should be on his shortlist is Bayer Leverkusen rock – Jonathan Tah. Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Tah was earmarked as one to watch as an early age after impressing in the youth ranks at Hamburg. The German was snapped up by Leverkusen in the summer of 2015 for just £6m and has developed into a crucial player for his current employers.

The 22-year-old is a colossal defender who would have no issues dealing with the physicality of the Premier League. His immense strength and aerial dominance would make him a nightmare for strikers to deal with. Despite his stature, Tah is also great with the ball at his feet, making him the complete package that Mourinho has been searching for in defence. The Germany international also has a turn of pace that helps him keep up with the quickest forwards in the division.

Tah’s ceiling is extremely high, and the defender will only get better in the future. If United could lure him from Germany, they would secure the future of their defence for the next decade.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?