The Manchester United fans here in the Transfer Tavern are hoping that Jose Mourinho will bring in a strong defensive partner for his preferred number one defender Eric Bailly in the summer.

It looks likely that Mourinho may be re-visiting another former club again this summer for one of his ex-players, with Real Madrid’s centre-back Raphael Varane said to be on the Portuguese coach’s radar. Our regulars are in agreement that the Red Devils need a first-class centre-back pairing, if dreams of winning the Premier League are going to turn into a reality during Mourinho’s third season in charge.

If the potentially incoming Frenchman is to arrive at Old Trafford in the summer, then the barman thinks it will open the door to a couple of fringe players leaving. Indeed, a revamp of the back line is much needed and Mourinho must be ruthless in his approach.

United have not had a recognised defensive partnership since they last won the league in 2013 and the ‘Special One’ surely knows that the key to winning a league, is to lay the foundations at the back. With that in mind, our landlord takes a look at TWO players that may leave if Varane comes in…

Chris Smalling

The England defender has been at United for a long time now but he still has many doubters out there that he has to prove to. Indeed, Smalling still makes the United fans nervous when he is in the team and doesn’t look like he has fully settled into life at United, despite the number of games he’s played for the club over the eight years or so.

With an arrival of Varane’s quality, someone’s got to drop down the pecking order, and that may be Smalling, much to the joy of the United faithful.

Victor Lindelof

Since arriving from Benfica, Lindelof hasn’t taken to the Premier League as quickly as Mourinho would have wanted him to. He is very slowly starting to show why United spent so much on him last year in recent games, however, for Mourinho to bring in another defender only a year after must mean that the Portuguese boss doesn’t fully trust the Swede yet.

Lindelof is already down the pecking order and a new defender would force his hand to be open to a move.