Manchester United are targeting veteran defender Philippe Mexes in their attempts to rebuild their shattered defence, as reported by Corriere dello Sport.

The Old Trafford club struggled hugely at the weekend, with a misshapen defence one of the key issues in their display. They struggled to adapt to Van Gaal’s new 5-3-2 formation. The players have not been helped by a series of departures in that department, however, with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic both moving to pastures new this summer.

This has left Man Utd with only three senior defenders as the new season arrives, with none of them having previously impressed on a level that suggests they can manage the rigours of helping the Manchester side return to the Champions League after last season’s struggles.

Mexes is an odd link from the Italian newspaper, however, with the French international having struggled to impress since moving to AC Milan in 2011. The 32-year-old has only played 61 Serie A games in his time with the Italian giants.