Manchester United are unlikely to make a January bid for Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, despite Jose Mourinho being keen on the player, according to reports in Italy.

The Portuguese boss is said to be a fan of the Slovakian international and would like the club to bankroll an offer of €60m (£53m) to €65m (£58m) for the centre-back.

However, Mourinho’s diminishing influence at Old Trafford means any move for Skriniar is unlikely. Inter would be very reluctant to sanction a move anyway but a sizeable bid may have been able to persuade them.

As it is, the 23-year-old defender is likely to sign a new contract to stay with the Nerazzurri. His current deal runs until 2022 but he is reportedly only on €1.7million a year.

Skriniar’s agents are hoping to get an agreement for a contract worth €3million a season (£51,000 a week), plus bonuses. However, even that figure could be doubled and or even trebled if he made the move to England.