This Christmas has definitely not been a joyous occasion if you are a Manchester United fan.
After months of speculation linking the club with every available striker on the planet, it seemed like the club had finally found their man.
Cody Gakpo enjoyed a fine World Cup, scoring thrice and has even carried on his scintillating club form of last season into the current season for PSV Eindhoven.
Sharing the same agency as United boss Erik ten Hag was supposed to make this deal that bit easier and the transfer was expected to be concluded early in January.
Christmas heartbreak for United
Instead, yesterday news broke of Liverpool’s attempt at hijacking the deal and it soon turned out to be real as PSV announced that their star asset was indeed moving to Merseyside.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for fans as well as the manager who had publicly revealed that he needed attacking reinforcements ahead of the second-half of the season.
And that is not the end of United’s misery. A recent report in The Daily Mail has now revealed that not much in the form of business is expected from the club due to the imminent sale of the club.
Manchester United will NOT buy players this January, with only loan deals on the table https://t.co/sSiBYwjMeR
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) December 27, 2022
“Manchester United have been reduced to shopping in the loan market this January as the Glazers look to sell the club,” the report read.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the club’s sale which is expected to happen in the first financial quarter of 2023, the move for Gakpo failed to materialise.
United’s remaining forward targets include big-money players such as Goncalo Ramos and Rafael Leao. If a move for the Dutch forward failed, a move for the aforementioned duo is not expected to be completed in January.
Loan deals only option for United
The only remaining options include a loan deal for Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid or a relatively cheap deal for Barcelona’s Memphis Depay.
A move for a back-up right-back was also expected but there is no certainty anymore.
“The news the club will only be able to do loan deals is a hammer blow to Erik ten Hag who had big hopes heading into the window,” the report added.
It remains to be seen how the club copes with this latest setback and whether an alternative can be arranged for Ten Hag who must be desperate at this point.
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