With few hours left before the close of the winter transfer market, AS Roma are in search of a suitable replacement for Emerson Palmieri and have targeted Manchester United defender Daley Blind.

Emerson penned a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League champions on Tuesday, with the Italian club expected to pocket 29 million euros transfer fee if bonuses are included.

Dutch football magazine Voetbal International has reported that Roma hope to sign Blind on loan until the end of this season, with an option to buy, but Manchester United would like the player to be sold in the summer.

This season, the Netherlands international is not in the plans of manager Jose Mourinho, with only five appearances recorded in the Premier League.

Ahead of a potential move, Blind has not traveled with Manchester United's squad to the English capital where they face Tottenham Hotspur this evening.

The 27-year-old arrived the Old Trafford outfit from Ajax Amsterdam in 2014.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : manutd.com