Joe Cole claims Manchester United should abandon plans to sign Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham or any other midfield target – with one man he feels is capable of fixing all their issues in the middle of the park.

The January window passed by at Old Trafford without any new arrivals. And while interim boss Ralf Rangnick is targeting midfield reinforcements, the only business at United came with those departing the club.

However, Rangnick – or whoever is in charge – will reportedly be in the market for a new midfielder come the summer. The likes of Declan Rice – who David Moyes is again warning will not come cheap – and Amadou Haidara have both been linked.

Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham is another man who keeps popping up as a United target. However, much like Rice, he too would cost well in excess of £80m.

Instead, Cole thinks United should look closer to home and a man playing less than 100 miles away down the M60.

That man, John McGinn, has reportedly been a player of interest at United for some time. And now Joe Cole has explained why the Aston Villa star is perfect for the Red Devils.

He thinks McGinn has not just the right professionalism – “he’s not on Instagram” – and can also cover what both Fred and Scott McTominay fail to do on a consistent basis.

“You look at that club and you constantly hear noises about this player is unhappy because the manager said this. Or this player’s unhappy because he’s been given time of here and he didn’t want it and all this,” Cole told BT Sport, as cited by the Daily Express.