Mourinho told to sell before he can buy at Man Utd; midfield star first to go

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has reportedly been told to sell before he can buy – with a key midfielder set to be the first to leave in January.

Mourinho is looking to strengthen his squad in the New Year but will have to offload some stars first, according to the Sunday Mirror.

And the first to go will be Marouane Fellaini, with an £8million deal reportedly agreed with Turkish outfit Besiktas for the midfielder.

The Belgium star is out of contract in the summer and it looks as if United are ready to cash in on the 29-year-old rather than offering him a new deal or losing him for nothing.

Fellaini has been one of United’s most improved players under Mourinho, but central midfield places are hard to come by at Old Trafford – when everyone is fit – and it seems as if the former Everton star is surplus to requirements.

That will not stop Mourinho looking to strengthen that area of the team, however, with Shakhtar Donetsk star Fred the latest name to be linked with a switch to United.

Mourinho was in Sweden, sitting alongside Zlatan Ibrahomivic, on Friday night as he watched Victor Lindelof help the Swedes keep a clean sheet in their World Cup play-off clash against Italy.