Manchester United will pay £12m to make Fabio Coentrao their first signing of the January window, according to an AS journalist.

The Madrid-based daily usually has a keen eye on things going on with Real, and while the left-back has been linked to United in the press a lot recently, there have been reservations over whether Carlo Ancelotti will permit the player to be sold in this window.

Now, it seems, the deal could indeed go ahead. Reports also indicate that United have agreed personal terms already, which is not surprising as they reportedly had in the summer too. Joaquin Maroto, who writes for AS, tweeted this:

Se abre el mercado de invierno: @Fabio_Coentrao se va al Manchester United. — JOAQUIN MAROTO (@AS_Maroto) January 5, 2014

Which, roughly translated, means "The January transfer window opens: Fabio Coentrao moves to Manchester United.

The Guardian also reported on the deal, with the caveat of Ancelotti claiming that he wouldn't leave, although the on-record comments of those in football during a transfer window are rarely worth paying much heed to. It looks like this one could well be about to happen.