Manchester United are likely to be busy in the January transfer window which opens in less than a week.
United and Erik ten Hag will primarily be in the hunt for a striker, with the team in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.
United are normally not active during the winter window, but the situation changed with Cristiano Ronaldo’s bitter exit from Old Trafford.
United have been linked with a number of names. Cody Gakpo is at the top of the list. A recent report indicated that the Red Devils have already opened talks with PSV Eindhoven over Gakpo’s transfer.
Other players that have been mentioned include Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, and Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos.
The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell reports on United’s January transfer plan, “Ten Hag’s liking for him [Cody Gakpo] has remained [from the summer]. Scouting department staff are aligned in that thinking.
“Ten Hag is with the same agency as Gakpo. The Athletic has been told Murtough met with Kees Vos, CEO of SEG agency, at Carrington in the last fortnight. Voss is a regular at Old Trafford and the pair see each other regularly.
“Whatever money is spent will come out of the summer budget and Ten Hag must decide, in conjunction with Murtough and Joel Glazer, whether that is the right call.”
United could also be in the market for cheap, short-term solutions. In this regard, Whitwell mentions Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting whose contract in Bavaria expires in June.
Another stop-gap that could be available as per The Athletic is Barcelona’s Memphis Depay. The Dutchman was offered to United in the summer but the club did not take the Blaugrana up on their offer.
Reports from Spain recently indicated that Newcastle will compete with United for Depay’s signature in January.
Ten Hag admires Goncalo Ramos, but a deal could be hampered by the fact that Benfica would demand a huge fee to part with their prolific goalscorer before the end of the season.
