S-Mart move for Inter
during a season, whereas previously they would have been cup-tied once they appeared for one team.
So players who move in the January transfer window could play in the knockout stages of the Champions League, even if they had appeared for another club in the group games.
Martial was wanted by Inter in the summer but United were not interested in selling a young player who could eventually cost them £57.6million.
The Old Trafford outfit realise it would be difficult to recoup their outlay on the France forward recruited from Monaco.
But a loan deal could be discussed and work for both parties, particularly if Croatia World Cup winger Perisic – a long-term target for Mourinho – was involved.
Italian clubs prefer to sign a player on loan initially with a view to a permanent transfer.