Here's what the Red Devils should do when the window opens to give Ruben Amorim the best chance of getting the team back on track
Manchester United have never needed a transfer window so urgently. For the first time ever, the Red Devils spent Christmas in the bottom half of the Premier League table and if no major changes are made, they will be on course for their lowest league finish since 1990.
Despite spending around £600 million ($752m) on new players in the last three summers and having one of the biggest wage bills in Europe, United somehow have a squad that is barely fit for purpose, especially not one that chimes with Ruben Amorim's vision for the team. The Portuguese has tried to revolutionise the team's style of play and, unlike predecessor Erik ten Hag, is not willing to compromise on his ideals. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that many of the players are not capable of enacting his ideas.
Given how much money United spent on sacking Ten Hag and buying Amorim out of his contract with Sporting CP, they must now equip the coach with the players he wants in order to make his vision a reality. And that does not just mean getting new players in; it also means getting rid of the dead wood within the squad.
Here are six moves United should make when the January transfer window opens. It can't come soon enough…
Getty ImagesMove Rashford on
As much as Amorim insisted repeatedly that leaving Marcus Rashford out of his matchday squads is a "normal situation", there is nothing normal about it not wanting one of the club's highest-paid players even on the bench, never mind starting. The club therefore needs to find a solution to this impasse as soon as possible.
As sad as it is to see a previously much-loved homegrown player in this predicament, there is a general acceptance that Rashford has reached the end of the road at United, and rather than try to mend relations, a clean break is the best solution for all parties.
Rashford has acknowledged that by saying he needs "a new challenge" in an interview, and even if those remarks irked Amorim, the player was merely saying in public what many people have been suggesting privately. Rashford's colossal salary – a reported £325,000 ($407k) per week – and his recent attitude means he will not be easy to shift, but the club need to look at what Arsenal did with both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil. The striker and the midfielder were on massive wages and long-term contracts, but they did not meet Mikel Arteta's standards and the Gunners have gone from strength to strength since they both left.
Rashford leaving is vital if Amorim wants to see through the cultural reset the club needs so badly, and it is also necessary for financial reasons. Even if the striker is sold for a reduced fee, the sale will go down as 'pure profit' and help the club meet the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
AdvertisementGetty Images SportGive Amad a new contract
Four years after joining the club as a little known and inexperienced 18-year-old, Amad Diallo has turned into arguably United's best player. He has contributed to 10 goals since Ten Hag's departure, single-handedly downing PAOK, helping destroy Everton and sparking the late comeback win in the Manchester derby. His work-rate and his attitude to pressing – just take how he chased down Fraser Forster to score at Tottenham – is also hugely impressive and is exactly what United need to cling on to in these times of strife.
Amad's emergence as United's best player also comes at a time when he is dangerously close to leaving the club for free. The 22-year-old's contract expires in June and from January 1 he will be free to speak to rival clubs. That is why it is imperative for United to not just trigger the one-year extension clause in his current contract, but to show him how important he is by offering him a lucrative long-term deal..
Getty Images SportSign a left-wing-back
To be brutally honest, United have not had a reliable left-back since Patrice Evra. Luke Shaw is an excellent defender and attacker when fit, but he has been dogged by repeated injury problems ever since breaking his leg early in his second season at Old Trafford and cannot be relied upon. He has played just 98 minutes of football this season and is currently sidelined with a muscle problem, a likely consequence of him fighting to be fit for England at the European Championship. His deputy, Tyrell Malacia, missed 17 months of football following two knee operations and has struggled badly since returning, being taken off at half-time in three of his four outings.
United have effectively had no reliable left-back for the past two seasons, and their weakness in this position has become even more glaring since the arrival of Amorim due to the coach's use of wing-backs. Diogo Dalot has had to play there, but his best position is on the right, while Noussair Mazraoui is much more comfortable in the back three.
The club are close to announcing a deal for 17-year-old Paraguayan left-back Diego Leon, but he will not be arriving until he turns 18 in the summer and will be part of a long-term plan rather than ready to come in and immediately hit the ground running.
There are, though, plenty of good, more experienced options out there. Alphonso Davies is running down his contract with Bayern Munich and will be available for free, although Real Madrid are doing their best to convince him to move to the Spanish capital. Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, who has been excellent in his side's two 3-0 wins at Old Trafford in the last year, would also be a smart buy.
Getty ImagesBring in a defensive organiser
United spent £60m ($75m) on defenders over the summer, but their backline has looked vulnerable throughout the season, both under Ten Hag and Amorim. The team have let in 17 goals in nine games since the Portuguese took charge, shipping seven alone against Tottenham and Bournemouth.
Of particular concern is their weakness from set-pieces. United have conceded 18 times from dead-ball situations in 2024, more than in any other calendar year in Premier League history. Bournemouth's opening goal in their 3-0 win at Old Trafford was the seventh time in six games United had conceded a goal from a set play. Oppositions are deliberately targeting this weakness and Amorim said he could sense the whole stadium was anxious every time the team conceded a free-kick.
The solution is to sign a central defender with experience and authority. The fact that United have had to lean on the 36-year-old Jonny Evans for a second season underlines their poor recruitment in defence, as has the fact that Harry Maguire has emerged as a key player 18 months after the club tried to sell him to West Ham. Maguire turns 32 in March and is nearing the end of his contract, so some new blood is needed.
United should look to the Bundesliga for a solution to their defensive woes. Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, who won the title playing in a back-three for Xabi Alonso and was a target in 2023, would be an excellent signing, as would his defensive partner Jonathan Tah. Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck is another attractive proposition. Closer to home, Nicola Milenkovic is a towering presence who United know all about after he scored against them in Nottingham Forest's 3-2 win at Old Trafford earlier this month.
