Man Utd preparing £3.5m offer to take Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix on a straight loan

Manchester United are prepared to pay €4 million (£3.5m/$4.2m) to take Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season.

WHAT'S HAPPENING? The attacker wants to leave the Spanish side in the January transfer window and United are leading the race to sign him. Relevo reports that as well as the fee, United would pay the Portugal international's wages in full for the remainder of the campaign and the deal would not include an option to buy him on a permanent deal in the summer.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The £3.5m figure is well below Atletico's asking price for a loan deal, however. The Rojiblancos are holding out for around €13m (£11m/$14m). The Madrid side are not ruling out the prospect of the 23-year-old staying for the rest of the season.

AND WHAT'S MORE: United are not the only Premier League team in with a chance of signing Joao Felix, as Arsenal are also reported to be willing to take him on loan.

WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD? The Red Devils are unlikely to have a deal in place for Joao Felix by the time their next game against Everton comes around on Friday.