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Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have his squad boosted by up to £50m worth of new players when the January transfer window opens in less than two weeks, with two key positions reportedly the priority.

The cash will apparently be 'made available' should the right players be found. In particular, a centre-back and a right-sided midfielder will be targeted, with Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld thought to be a prime target for around £30m.

According to the Daily Mirror, there is a £50m January budget available and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward 'recognises' the need to improve the squad after a poor season.

However, it appears that United are increasingly determined not to simply throw money into the transfer market and will be extremely careful about any future recruitment decisions.

According to an earlier claim from The Sun, United are planning to raid Juventus next month for Brazilian winger Douglas Costa. It was a plan Jose Mourinho is said to have only discovered mere 'hours' before he was sacked by the club.

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Costa would fit the profile of the un-named right winger outlined by the Mirror's report, but United landing both him and Alderweireld for a combined £50m seems optimistic.

Juventus paid £36m for Costa in the summer to make his loan from Bayern Munich permanent, but United would hope to use the 28-year-old's lack of consistent game time in their favour. He has started only three times in Serie A this season, often reduced to a substitute role.

Costa has faced United already this season, appearing from the bench for the final stages of Juve's dominant 1-0 win at Old Trafford back in October.

Solskjaer takes his first training session as United boss on Thursday ahead of facing Cardiff, his former club, in his debut game on Saturday evening.