Bournemouth forward Joshua King has suggested that he was desperate to secure a return to Manchester United during the January transfer window.

The Red Devils attempted to re-sign the Norway international last month before ultimately completing a loan move for Shanghai Shenhua forward Odion Ighalo on deadline day.

King has said that it was "a dream" to learn that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side wanted him once again, but the Cherries were ultimately not prepared to sanction a sale at that stage of the window.

"How close it was I have no complete answer to. I have to watch what I say. It had been a dream come true, I will not lie," King told TV2.

"I had some faith that it was going to happen. And it was a bit sensitive for me considering that I moved to England as a 16-year-old to achieve my dream and wanted to reach that goal at Manchester United.

"It did not [happen] and then I made a choice and left. When you hear that you are connected to United and a bid comes in, then the feelings you had as a 16-year-old come back to you but why it did not happen, I do not know."

The 28-year-old scored 12 Premier League goals for Eddie Howe's side last season but has only managed three in 17 outings during the 2019-20 campaign.

The attacker represented United between 2008 and 2013 but only made two first-team appearances before securing a permanent move to Blackburn Rovers.