Manchester United are expected to welcome new owners in 2023.
Manchester United supporters have been warned not to expect a busy January transfer window due to the Glazers looking to sell the club. The Red Devils’ ownership are reportedly not willing to sanction any major incoming in the winter window, despite Erik ten Hag’s pleas for new signings.
After years of protests, United fans are finally set to be granted their wish of a takeover in the New Year. The Glazers announced they were putting the club up for sale recently. Their statement revealed that they were looking for further investment or a complete takeover, though it soon emerged that the latter is preferred.
United spent big over the summer to provide Ten Hag with the tools required to push for Champions League football this season, with Lisandro Martinez and Antony arriving for significant fees. Though The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported that the spending spree won’t continue into January.
He told NBC Sport: “I don’t think there’s much money to spend at Manchester United so I don’t want to disappoint fans but it’s most likely going to have to be a loan deal (striker signings).
“Interestingly, they had admiration for Cody Gakpo, they almost signed him in the summer window, Erik ten Hag is a massive fan, but United are focused on a central striker for January and they see Gakpo as primarily a wide forward. Therefore, they also are looking at someone like Joao Felix if they can do that loan deal.
“There’ll be a number of other options as well but I think we need to remember with the United sale here, the Raine Group who are in charge of this process, they’re aiming for a complete sale of Manchester United in the first quarter of 2023 and therefore the Glazer family are not going to be willing to sanction a massive outlay of cash on deals at this time of the year.”
Ten Hag has been vocal about how he would like to add a striker to his ranks next month, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract termination leaving him short of depth in the final third. Anthony Martial is the Dutchman’s preferred No 9, but he lacks competition for the starting spot when fit, with Marcus Rashford seen as a winger primarily.
Felix has been heavily linked with Old Trafford of late, with the 23-year-old falling out of favour with Atletico Madrid and his relationship with the club now in tatters. The Portugal international is also on the radar of Arsenal and Chelsea, who are both shopping in the same ‘striker market’ as United.
SOURCE: express.co.uk
