Manchester United will target up to four left-footed players next summer in a bid to add some balance to their attack.
Ashley Young is United's first-choice left-sided defender, while fellow right-footers Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are asked to play ahead of him.
It has led to concerns over United's lopsided approach and Jose Mourinho is eager to rectify the issue in the summer, reports the Manchester Evening News.
United remain interested in Tottenham left-back Danny Rose and are still keen on Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann , who is still open to joining the club despite rejecting an Old Trafford transfer in the summer.
United sources indicate the club is still monitoring Gareth Bale's situation at Real Madrid, despite his injury-laden year in Spain.
United have also shown tentative interest in Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, who is free to negotiate with rival clubs in January as he approaches the last six months of his contract.
Mourinho wants more backing in the transfer market to compete with Manchester City, who outspent United by £79.6million in the summer. Mourinho wanted a left-sided player but United failed to match Inter's asking price for Perisic and Real refused to budge over Bale.
United would have to spend well over £200m to secure their targets and gazump their £152m record splurge Louis van Gaal presided over in 2014 last year and reiterated last week Young was not a specialist full-back.
The United manager dropped Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind from the squad for the weekend win over Brighton and it is understood United are yet to trigger the one-year extensions in Blind's and Shaw's contracts. Their deals technically expire in the summer and Shaw is believed to have no intention of leaving United in the winter window. It is probable the club will take up the option of an additional year in Shaw's contract to safeguard their investment ahead of an inevitable summer transfer.
Bale, who will be 29 before the start of next season, has only started nine times for Real this term but invariably starts on the right for Real when fit. United have also enquired about Chelsea winger Willian, who Mourinho brought to England in 2013.
Mourinho has struggled to find a solution for the right flank, where Juan Mata, Rashford and Jesse Lingard failed to perform in recent games. Mourinho stressed on Friday it was 'only fair' that Henrikh Mkhitaryan - who was signed to strengthen the right wing - returned to the squad but the Armenian has spent most of the campaign in the playmaker role.
Rose hinted at his desire to join United during an incendiary interview four months ago when he questioned Spurs' apparent lack of ambition. Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino dropped Rose from the squad for the North London derby defeat to Arsenal earlier this month and then the weekend draw with West Brom.
Rose admitted he was 'fuming' to be overlooked for the Arsenal game and the rancour between him and Pochettino could intensify after his latest omission. It is understood Pochettino feels Rose, who recovered from a nine-month lay-off in October, is still not ready to play twice in a week.
Griezmann's Atletico release clause still stands at £89.4m but there are suspicions he is making overtures to Paris Saint-Germain after he embarked on a PR offensive in his native France. A Griezmann documentary was recently broadcast on French television and the 26-year-old also released a children's book in midweek.