Manchester United want to sign striker Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid.

A dismal 4-0 defeat to Brentford on Saturday saw the Red Devils reach a new low and incomings will be a top priority before the transfer window closes.

The striking department is an area boss Erik ten Hag desperately wants to improve, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Martial his only current options.

And United have held talks with Atleti over the signing of Spanish striker Morata, 29, according to The Athletic.

The forward is thought to have been made available by the Spanish club after spending the last two seasons on loan at Juventus.

The 56-cap international has been valued at just under £30million by the LaLiga outfit.

Should a move materialise, it would see Morata return to the English top flight after two seasons at Chelsea between 2017 and 2019.

Struggling to regularly impress with the Blues, the former Real Madrid man mustered 16 goals in 47 Premier League outings.

The report also says moves for Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Paris Saint-Germain No9 Mauro Icardi are unlikely at this stage.

In other news

The Sun claim Newcastle have made Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher their top priority before the transfer window closes.

Tottenham outcast Tanguy Ndombele is set for a season-long loan move to Napoli, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The Athletic say striker Neal Maupay has agreed to join Nottingham Forest from Brighton.