Why Ashley Young wants to leave Manchester United in January transfer window

Ashley Young wants to leave Manchester United for Inter Milan this month to savour one last experience in his career.

The MEN understands Young, 34, is keen to move to Inter in the January transfer window since he is conscious he does not have much time left in the game. Young turns 35 in July.

Young has agreed a contract in principle with Inter and coach Antonio Conte - who tried to sign Young on transfer deadline day in 2017 - wants to recruit the United full-back this month. Sources say United are 'digging their heels in' to retain Young until the end of the season - when his deal expires - but the club captain wants to be allowed to leave now.

United offered Young a new one-year contract this week but he had already accepted Inter's terms. United are especially reluctant to letting their longest-serving player in the current squad leave now, with sources having communicated six weeks ago they had shelved plans to sign a left-back.

"He's one of our players," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday morning. "He's our captain. There's loads of speculation and we've just got to handle it - we're getting used to that in club - and Ashley's been very professional and focused, so I don't think that's going to change.

"That (Young's future)'s a discussion that me and Ash will have if something comes up, we haven't got too many players fit and ready, so we need the ones we have.

"Ashley's been very, very good for this club, he's been a very good captain this season, so let's see where we are in June and see where we are in February as well."

Young was fit for the League Cup semi-final first leg with Manchester City on Tuesday night but not named in the squad and Brandon Williams started at left-back. Luke Shaw had recovered from illness but was excluded from the matchday squad. Young captained United against Wolves in their FA Cup third round draw last week.

United signed Young from Aston Villa for £18million in 2011 and he has won a Premier League winner's medal, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League.

The England international has started 73 games in the last two seasons under Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho and earned a one-year contract last February. The expectation was Young would leave United after nine years in the summer.