Manchester United have bid €8million for Bologna forward Marko Arnautovic in a potential transfer that would likely invite ridicule.
Arnautovic, 32, returned to Europe to sign for Bologna last year after spending two years with Chinese Super League team Shanghai Port.
The Austria international is familiar to United manager Erik ten Hag and assistant Steve McClaren from his time at Twente, where McClaren was manager and Ten Hag his assistant between 2008-10.