Manchester United do not expect Leny Yoro to be available again until January and are plotting a fresh bid for Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, according to the Sun.
The Frenchman picked up an injury in the pre-season friendly against Arsenal in the United States ten days after joining the Red Devils from Lille in an initial £52.2 million deal, and he is expected to remain out of action until next year after undergoing surgery.
As a result, Man United are looking for reinforcements at the back and will return for Branthwaite after the Toffees rejected their initial offer of £35m plus £8m in add-ons.
Everton are holding out for £70m for the 22-year-old, but around £50m could get a deal done, and the Old Trafford club may be prepared to go that far in their bid to land the Englishman.
They have Bayern Munich defensive duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui on their radar but getting the Bundesliga club to agree to sell them has proven tricky.
Both clubs are still in talks, but Man United could return for Branthwaite, having had him on their radar for months.
The youngster and 18-year-old Yoro could go on to form a solid central defensive pairing the Red Devils need going forward, and they will hope Everton are willing to do business.
The former England youth international is open to the move having established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the land in such a short while.
Branthwaite was included in the provisional England squad of former Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate for the European Championship but did not make the final cut.
However, his talents and potential are there for everyone to see and the Red Devils could now be wishing they had signed him instead following the injury blow Yoro suffered.
