Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho makes Everton ace Seamus Coleman top target with £16m lined up
Red Devils chief plots January raid for Ronald Koeman's Republic of Ireland right-back
JOSE MOURINHO has made Everton right-back Seamus Coleman his number one January transfer target for Manchester United.
The Portuguese boss has tasked Red Devils chief Ed Woodward with bringing the defender to Old Trafford in a £16million move, according to the .
Italian Matteo Darmian is set to leave United for Inter Milan after making just one outing under Mourinho this season.
Antonio Valencia, who scored one and assisted two to help Ecuador defeat Chile 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier this week, has been preferred at full-back.
But Coleman, who turns 28 this week, is the player Mourinho has identified as the long-term man to fill the role.
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The Toffees ace was snapped up by the Goodison Park outfit from League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers in 2009.
He was given his Premier League debut by former United manager David Moyes.
The now Sunderland boss even tried to bring the Irishman with him from Merseyside to Manchester during his brief time at Old Trafford.
Coleman, who scored Ireland's winner against Georgia in midweek, has plenty of experience with nearly 200 top-flight appearances to his name.
He also offers a huge threat going forward and has netted 15 times for Everton.
Ronald Koeman, who took charge of the Blues in the summer, is a huge fan of Coleman and is unlikely to let one of his key man leave without a fight.
After losing John Stones to Manchester City in the summer, the Dutchman will attempt to fight off any interest from Mourinho to keep hold of one of his most-prized assets.
And things could get worse for Koeman, as United are also considering a move for Everton's Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.
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