Sky Sports are reporting this evening that Manchester United turned down the opportunity to sign Jamie Vardy, with Arsenal and Leicester now in talks for England’s striker. He will get along well with Jack Wilshere, so it makes sense.

Meanwhile, reports go on to claim United are closing in on a one-year-deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is one of Jose Mourinho’s favourite players.

Mourinho regularly sings the praises of the player who helped him win the league with Inter Milan.

A player who gave me as much as Ibra will always be in my heart. He did a lot for Inter and Inter did a lot for him. I like seeing Ibra. I greet him whenever I get the chance to and I wish him all the best – except when he plays against me. He is very special, he is one of the best strikers in the world.

It is also clear that Mourinho is keen for Ibrahimovic to play in the Premier League.

I think he has to be where he is happy, and if he’s happy in Paris then he has to stay. But at the same time I think it’s a pity for him when he finishes his career and he played in the most important countries in the world of football, and won the most important championships in the world of football, but he didn’t play in the best league in the world and never won the best league in the world. That’s a pity.

Ibrahimovic also speaks highly of Mourinho, but isn’t such a fan of Pep Guardiola, who he played for at Barcelona.

That guy says whatever he wants. I like him. He’s the leader of his army. But he cares, too. He would text me all the time at Inter, wondering how I was doing. He’s the exact opposite of Pep Guardiola. If Mourinho lights up a room, Guardiola draws the curtains. Mourinho would become a guy I was basically willing to die for.