Due to the fact that the World Cup will be taking place for the next month, domestic football has come to a grinding halt. As a result, Manchester United have been given some rare breathing room to concentrate on the upcoming January window.
Because United's requirements run counter to their goals for the new year, this time period is shaping up to be an intriguing one. It has already been stated on multiple occasions by the club's Director of Football John Murtough that the club is unlikely to splash the cash in the middle of the season following their massive outlay in the summer. It is also understood that plans to recruit a new high-priced striker, with Victor Osimhen on the list, won't be implemented until after the season has come to a close.
In October, Murtough was quoted as saying that "ultimately, we made a record level of investment for a single window," which he said was a reflection of the conditions in the market as well as their "commitment to supporting the manager." "We ended the summer slightly ahead of where we expected to be in terms of the number of players brought in. As a result, we do not anticipate the same level of activity in future windows, although we will continue to strengthen our roster."
This does not sound like a club that is prepared to make additional significant investments when the transfer window reopens; however, it is highly likely that Manchester United will need to make some new signings. This is especially true if they want to play in the Champions League this season and ensure that they can be competitive for their top striker targets.
A particular need for reinforcement exists in the forward position, and this was already the case before Cristiano Ronaldo made the decision to leave, which virtually guarantees that he will never play for the club again. If he is no longer involved with United in any way, whether his contract is torn up, he is sold, or he is left to train on his own, United will only have two senior striker options to choose from. Marcus Rashford, who is more effective when playing on the left side of the field, and Anthony Martial, who has already suffered three injuries this season.
Although Erik ten Hag has been interested in playing right back for the purpose of providing competition for Diogo Dalot, it is possible that there will be player departures in January in addition to player acquisitions. Ronaldo is the most likely candidate to be shown the door, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek, Brandon Williams, and possibly even more players could also be shown the door.
You can have your say in which players Manchester United should keep and which players they should sell in the transfer window by voting in the widget that follows. The findings are going to be made public later on this week.
