Manchester United Offered Shakhtar Donetsk Defender Darijo Srna to Alleviate Defensive Woes

Manchester United have been offered the opportunity to sign Shakhtar Donetsk right-back Darijo Srna, according to the Daily Mail.

The 32-year-old is among the many players being scouted by the Red Devils as cover for Rafael, who has failed to keep himself fit this season. The Brazilian defender has missed a major part of this season through injury and Louis van Gaal is looking for options to add more cover in that position.

Chris Smalling, who can deputise in that area, has also been linked with a move out of the club which has forced the Dutchman's hand in the market.

United are also keeping a close eye on Barcelona defender Dani Alvez, who would give them a good attacking option on the flanks and add some much needed experience to their backline.

Srna is a revered figure in Shakhtar and in spite of his age was among the fastest players in the World Cup. He has previously rejected approaches from Chelsea and Bayern Munich but a move now would be a perfect time to end his career on a high with one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

However, United have to set their priorities straight in January, especially with Ed Woodward stating that they are unlikely to cast a free hand on the market and tone down their spending until the summer.

"We are not looking to enter the market for short-term fixes. We have targets we are looking at for next summer. Should any become available in January, which is rare, we will consider acting on it. But in terms of expectations, we all need to recognise that's a low probability," Woodward said.

The Red Devils will face Arsenal on Saturday, with the Gunners currently placed a point above them in the league table. A win here will go a long way in sealing their position in the top four but a loss will open up a four point gap, which can be hard to recover once the north London club get their players back and build up some momentum.