Sporting Lisbon will allow Rojo to move to Old Trafford with Nani going in the opposite direction

Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Marcos Rojo following the Argentina defender’s public apology to Sporting Lisbon last night.

It has been a frustrating summer in the transfer market for United, who plan to sign two central defenders and a top-class midfield player before the transfer window closes on September 1, but Louis van Gaal will at least be heartened by long-awaited progress towards the acquisition of Rojo.

As an improvement on an unsuccessful £16 million bid, United are understood be willing to accede to Sporting’s request for them to include and finance a deal that would see Nani move in the opposite direction.

Negotiations between the two clubs were put on hold last week amid a legal dispute – and