Manchester United are plotting the double signing of Benfica pair Nicolas Gaitan and Ezequiel Garay, as Sir Alex Ferguson prepares a bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.
Despite Ferguson insisting he would not be looking to bring in new faces in January, United continue to be linked with moves for players around the world, with the English Premier League leaders reportedly turning their attentions to Portugal.
United scouts closely watched Gaitan and Garay as Benfica played FC Porto Sunday, according to Portuguese newspaper Record, with the former also scoring a goal.
Gaitan is a long-term target of United, with the Argentine nearly sealing a move to Old Trafford in the summer, before talks broke down.
The 24-year-old winger has been closely watched by United now for several months, and Ferguson might be finally ready to make his move, although the midfielder will cost United around £25-30 million ($40-48 million).
Garay is a more unlikely signing, with the defender likely to come with a hefty transfer fee, owing to the fact that Real Madrid are entitled to half the amount, as a part of the agreement which saw the Argentine move to Benfica from the Bernabeu.
It would not be the first time that Ferguson has looked to the Portuguese league for signings, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson joining United from the country.
Ferguson is looking at bringing in a winger this transfer window or the next, with Nani expected to leave the club. Zaha has been closely linked with a move to Old Trafford, with United leading the chase for the talented youngster.
However, Gaitan is a more proven player, with the Argentine international likely to make a quicker impact than Zaha would, were he to make a move.
Arsenal are also interested in signing Zaha, but United are thought to be in pole position for the 20-year-old, with Crystal Palace insisting any January move would hinge on the player being loaned back until the end of the season.
It is unlikely that United will move for both Gaitan and Zaha, so it remains to be seen which player Ferguson is likely to take his chances on.