Transfer Centre

Manchester United chief rules out January spending spree

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 19 December 2023

Man United chief rules out January spending spree

Manchester United's chief operating officer Collette Roche admits that the Red Devils are unlikely to be busy in terms of incomings during the January transfer window.

Manchester United's chief operating officer Collette Roche has warned Red Devils fans not to get excited about the prospect of a spending spree in the January transfer window.

On the back of a successful 2022-23 season with Erik ten Hag at the helm, the club splashed out close to £175m on the signatures of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund as their three marquee arrivals.

Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans also penned deals at Old Trafford, while Sergio Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and Fiorentina respectively, but not a single one of their summer signings has hit the ground running.

With the Red Devils finishing bottom of their Champions League group and languishing in seventh in the Premier League table - losing seven top-flight fixtures already this term - fans have been calling for another significant window of activity next month.

Man United are said to be eyeing an experienced striker to ease the burden on Hojlund, who is yet to open his Premier League account, while Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo remains a prime defensive target.

Manchester United's Jonny Evans and Bruno Fernandes look dejected after conceding the first goal on December 12, 2023 © Reuters

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to complete his 25% purchase of the club over the Christmas period, and the Ineos chief is planning a major overhaul of the club's sporting department, but his arrival will have little impact on transfer funds, which have also been hit by Man United's early European exit.

Ten Hag has already conceded that he is not expecting any more big-money deals over the winter, and speaking at a recent fans' forum, Roche conceded that the January window was expected to be a quiet one in terms of incomings.

"Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy," Roche said. "There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like.

"However, we've always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows.

"We've seen this season that Financial Fair Play rules have real teeth, so we have to be very careful to ensure that we remain compliant, and we will. But that means being really disciplined on spending going forward, with a balance between incomings and outgoings."

Manchester United attacker Jadon Sancho on July 22, 2023 © Reuters

Instead of pursuing targets, the 20-time English champions will focus on offloading a handful of out-of-favour players next month, starting with Donny van de Beek's loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Dutchman is said to have undergone his medical with the Bundesliga side on Tuesday, and Die Adler will have the option to convert Van de Beek's loan into a permanent deal at the end of the season.

The Red Devils are also working to sever ties with ostracised winger Jadon Sancho, who has not played for the club since early September owing to a high-profile falling-out with Ten Hag.

Bids will also be entertained for Anthony Martial and Casemiro, the latter of whom is believed to have received an offer from an unnamed team in Saudi Arabia, while Raphael Varane will only have six months left to run on his contract in January.

However, the 30-year-old's terms include the option of an additional 12 months, and he is apparently hopeful that the club will trigger his extension until 2025 after he played his way back into Ten Hag's starting XI.