The 28- year-old is not in the plans of Mourinho who sold him to United in January 2014 during his second spell at Chelsea. The new United manager’s view of the attacking midfielder has not changed from two years ago when he regarded him as too slow to be at the heart of the attacking element of his team.

The Spain international was not included in his country’s Euro 2016 squad and last played for his country in the friendly against England last November. The offer is currently round £20 million but there is competition for his signature and the picture is not yet clear.