Manchester United have had a quiet January transfer window and it appears unlikely that they will make a marquee signing before the deadline next week.
The club have signed Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst on loan from Crystal Palace and Burnley respectively. They are said to be eyeing another temporary deal.
Hence, there may not be any big spending until the summer but it won’t be straightforward for United amid their ongoing concerns over Financial Fair Play.
They will need to offload players first in order to boost their spending capacity. Here are three candidates that could help United to recoup reasonable funds.
Harry Maguire
The club captain has been out-of-favour under manager Erik ten Hag since the humiliating 4-0 loss at Brentford in August. He has since been a regular on the bench.
To make things worse, Luke Shaw has been preferred ahead of him for the central defensive duties lately, giving a clear hint that he does not feature in the future plans.
West Ham United recently failed with a loan approach for his services, but it won’t come as a surprise if he makes the permanent switch to the Hammers this summer.
The Red Devils are unlikely to recoup anywhere close to the £80 million fee spent but should receive at least £30-40m as he is still one of England’s best centre-backs.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Wan-Bissaka has had an impressive resurgence since the World Cup. He has been a regular starter at right-back with Diogo Dalot struggling on the sidelines with muscle injuries.
The former Crystal Palace man has always been impressive with his ability to win one-on-one duels, but he has yet to prove to Ten Hag that he can make a difference in the final third.
The 25-year-old rarely makes forays into the opposition half. His crossing is also non-existent at times and the manager may want a solid upgrade on him to compete with Dalot.
His mini-revival after the mid-season break could help United secure a decent transfer fee in the summer.
Anthony Martial
Martial’s name in the list may raise a few eyebrows. Earlier this season, Ten Hag said that the Frenchman is the perfect striker for him with his hold-up play and regular high pressing.
However, the 27-year-old has yet to cement his place in the starting line-up, largely due to fitness issues. He has been sidelined with four separate injuries in the current campaign.
The manager recently said that he is ‘really important‘ to the team’s success but Ten Hag is unlikely to stay patient with the forward if he continues to pick up injuries every now and then.
Martial will need to prove his form and fitness between now and the end of the season. If he fails to do so, he could be shown the exit door such that a marquee striker can be signed.
Manchester United target Martin Zubimendi interested in Premier League move
Manchester United target Martin Zubimendi prefers a transfer to the Premier League if he decides to move on from Real Sociedad this season.
Towards the end of last year, The Peoples Person reported that the club was interested in the midfielder.
Many clubs around Europe soon became interested in him, including teams from Italy, France, and Germany.
However, MundoDeportivo, a Spanish outlet, are reporting that the La Liga star prefers a move to England to play in the Premier League.
It was recently reported that Arsenal were showing an interest in Zubimendi but he rejected the contract for now as he wants to complete the season with his current club.
He has a release clause inserted into his contract at 60 million euros (£52m).
The defensive midfielder, who is only 23 years old, has been in fine form for Real Sociedad this season.
His side are currently in third place and are in a good place to finish inside the top four for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
Zubimendi would be a great fit for Man United and would suit Erik ten Hag’s current set up.
Casemiro is the most important defensive midfielder the club currently has, with Scott McTominay proving to be an unconvincing backup.
Zubimendi has the quality to push into the starting eleven and could well push into the defensive midfield role with the qualities he has.
A top four finish for Zubimendi might make United’s pursuit a little challenging, but Ten Hag will be hoping he has enough resources to convince sign the Spaniard.
With The Red Devils also in a comfortable position to finish inside the top four, Champions League qualification could be enough to see Zubimnedi join the club next season.
Source: manutdnews.com; thepeoplesperson.com
