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Louis van Gaal has hinted Manchester United could sign a left-back in the January transfer window.

M.E.N. Sport revealed last month Van Gaal was considering signing a left-back and United had scouted Porto and Netherlands defender Bruno Martins Indi .

Luke Shaw is not expected to return from his broken leg until January at the very earliest and Marcos Rojo is yet to fully convince Van Gaal, despite a mini resurgence following the October international break.

“Maybe we have to buy a left-back in January,” Van Gaal told the Sunday newspapers.

Although Rojo played poorly and conceded Watford's penalty in United's win at Vicarage Road on Saturday, he produced excellent performances last month against Everton and Manchester City.

Daley Blind also enjoyed arguably his best run of form in the United side at left-back last season, while Van Gaal gave teenage full-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson his debut against West Brom.

Van Gaal has used Ashley Young at left-back on numerous occasions, however Antonio Valencia's lengthy lay-off has seen the 30-year-old switch to right-back, where he was selected ahead of Matteo Darmian at Vicarage Road.

Darmian, who can also play at left-back, is United's only out-and-out senior right-back.