Louis Saha encourages Manchester United to sign Raphael Varane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Manchester United should turn their attention to Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as their next transfer targets, according to their former striker Louis Saha.

United made three new additions to their squad this summer with Victor Lindelof, Romleu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic arriving at Old Trafford but Jose Mourinho believes there is more work to be done. In a recent interview with The Times, the Portuguese coach explained he will need three summer transfer windows to assemble a squad he believes can challenge Europe's elite clubs for club football's biggest prizes.

Saha, who won two Premier League titles and a Champions League during his four-year spell at Old Trafford, has urged his former side to complete their rebuild by looking to his compatriot Varane as a long-term solution at the back, while also recommending his club consider bringing in another forward in Dortmund star Aubameyang.

"I would go for Raphael Varane," Saha said. "Varane is a great defender and I think he would bring something special to the defence. And Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He is very quick and he has got the eye for the ball all the time. He has really impressed me in the last few years. And he is still a player you feel is still stepping up. He really wants to improve. I think he would be a good addition."

Mourinho signed Varane for Real Madrid in 2011, going on to hand him a starting role in his XI despite his tender years. Upon his return to Chelsea in 2013, Mourinho described the France international as the best young defender in world football, fuelling talk of a reunion at Stamford Bridge.

Aubameyang meanwhile was determined to leave Borussia Dortmund during the transfer window and was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, only to "miss his window" to leave the German side in the summer. Dortmund had been willing to let the player go providing his valuation was met – reported to have been €70m (£62m) – but no offers arrived before their deadline.