Man Utd plotting 'sensational' €140m double bid for two of Serie A's best players

Manchester United's incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth has identified two transfer targets from Serie A, according to reports in Italy, but they won't come cheap.

Ashworth, who is set to join United after being placed on gardening leave by Newcastle, will be given the responsibility of rebuilding the club's scouting department when he arrives.

In fact, the 57-year-old is already making plans to build a support team at Old Trafford, with Ashworth keen on working alongside Chelsea's chief analyst Kyle Macaulay.

Ipswich Town technical director Sam Williams is also on United’s recruitment team wishlist, but the question remains – which players will they try and bring in this summer?

A report from InterLive suggests Ashworth will head up a ‘sensational transfer operation’ that will involve raiding Inter Milan and Juventus to help transform their fortunes on the pitch.

It is said highly-rated Juventus defender Gleison Bremer is at the top of Ashworth's list after he tried to sign the Brazilian centre-back for Newcastle last summer.

United could end up splashing around €60 million [£51.4m] on Bremer's signature, with the 26-year-old defender being the ‘object of desire’ for United's incoming sporting director.

The second player to be mentioned in the report is Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who has been described as someone that's of interest ‘at the explicit request’ of Ashworth.

United's weakness in that area of the pitch has been evident in recent months and with Casemiro showing signs of decline, Barella could well provide that much-needed impetus in central positions.

Barella will likely have plenty of suitors in the summer. According to Fichajes, a number of Premier League clubs are closely monitoring his contract situation at Inter, including Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea.

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As well as Barella and Bremer, United are said to be monitoring Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, according to The Telegraph.

Ashworth was interested in signing Guehi at Newcastle last year but the Magpies were quoted a price of over £60 million after submitting an enquiry.