Manchester United are drawing up a list of potential targets to strengthen a key area of Erik Ten Hag's squad in January, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

Manchester United's defensive injuries

Manchester United produced a gritty display as they dug deep to defeat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage, courtesy of an injury-time winner from club captain Bruno Fernandes. Moving into eighth position in the Premier League, Red Devils' boss Ten Hag will have been relieved that his side were able to claim three points at a difficult away venue; however, the Dutchman will owe a lot of his gratitude to England international Harry Maguire, who played a major role in their victory despite suffering a head knock during proceedings.

Earning a Sofascore match rating of 7.7/10, Maguire won eight of his ten ground duels contested and completed 49 out of his 60 attempted passes in west London, leading the way for Manchester United, who posted their fourth victory in six games.

Speaking to Premier League productions cited by United in Focus, Manchester United icon Peter Schmeichel branded Maguire as the Red Devils' best player on the day, stating: "The best player for me today was Harry Maguire. He was majestic. He was here, there and everywhere. The adversity he has met, the criticism he has been in for, and how he has turned it around. Every coach now will put him in first. He was fantastic and without him today, I can’t see how Man Utd would have won today."

Nevertheless, Maguire has almost been forced into first-team action through necessity, as Lisandro Martinez continues to be sidelined by a long-term hamstring injury, while Raphael Varane has also struggled to stay fit consistently.

Looking ahead, you would assume Manchester United would enter the market for some defensive cover in January and reporter Jacobs has given an update on their hunt to strengthen the position in the New Year.

Manchester United draw up defender shortlist

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs has given an insight into Manchester United's plans to buy a defender in January and the type of profile Ten Hag may elect to pursue at Old Trafford.

Jacobs stated: "They're looking for a younger profile and somebody that, obviously, can be part of a new era of centre-backs because there are plenty of centre-backs at the club at the moment, but they're all ageing and some of the fans may feel they're not quite up to standard.

Manchester United summer signings – all fees courtesy of Sky Sports

Player

Previous club

Fee

Jonny Evans

Leicester City

Free transfer

Mason Mount

Chelsea

£60 million

Altay Bayindir

Fenerbache

£4.3 million

Andre Onana

Inter Milan

£47.2 million

Sergio Reguilon

Tottenham Hotspur

Loan

Sofyan Amrabat

Fiorentina

Loan

Rasmus Hojlund

Atalanta

£72 million

"It's about finding a younger profile and the right profile. We wait and see whether, in terms of availability and cost, there's any possibility of moving in January. But it's definitely true that, internally, Manchester United are drawing up a list which shows you that centre-back is a priority."

Jacobs remained tight-lipped on any names; however, Manchester United seem to have put the wheels in motion regarding their hunt for a new central defender.