United dealt blow in pursuit of top January target.
Manchester United look to have been dealt a major blow in their efforts to sign Real Madrid left-back Fabio Coentrao as an injury to David Alaba could threaten to cancel the deal, according to the Daily Express.
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Real had supposedly been ready to sign Bayern Munich starlet Alaba as a replacement for Coentrao this January, but with the Austrian international now looking set for a lengthy spell out through injury with a knee ligament problem, the deal is almost certainly off.
The Spanish giants will want to keep the Portuguese international as a backup to rotate with first-choice left-back Marcelo, leaving United to ponder other options in that part of the pitch as they prepare for the upcoming January transfer window.
Manager Louis van Gaal already has summer signing Luke Shaw in that position, but the England teenager has not quite been at his best at Old Trafford since his big-money move from Southampton at the start of the season.
With the long-serving Patrice Evra leaving the club in the summer, United are short of backup options in that area, though versatile midfielder Daley Blind can also fill that role if needed.