Five players who could join Man Utd in January
Suraj Radia
- 20 Jan 2024 16:30 GMT
- 4 min read
Manchester United will look to strengthen their squad in January after a poor campaign so far, although a lot will depend on the timeline of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recruitment shake-up.
Ratcliffe purchased 25% of United for around £1.4billion in a move which would see the billionaire gain control of the club’s footballing operations.
The deal was formalised on Christmas Eve but it's not clear how much Ratcliffe will have in place for the January window, with United believed to be searching for a centre back, a defensive midfielder, a number 8, a right winger and a striker.
While it is unlikely they will be able to target all their problem positions in one month, particularly with a focus also set to be on outgoings, FootballTransfers takes a look at five players who could move to Old Trafford in January.
Jean-Clair Todibo (Nice)
United have been inconsistent in defence this season despite only four teams conceding less goals than them in the league, with injuries ravishing their backline throughout the season.
Erik ten Hag had been desperate to sign a centre back in the summer but the club were unable to raise funds after Harry Maguire rejected a move to West Ham and, while the England international has regained his place in the team, injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez means defence is still a high priority for United.
Jean-Clair Todibo was at the top of United’s shortlist in the summer and the Nice defender is still well-liked at Old Trafford, with a move even more feasible if Ratcliffe comes in due to his ownership of the French side.
Kenneth Taylor (Ajax)
Ten Hag is no stranger to Ajax players and the Dutchman could return to his former club once again to sign Kenneth Taylor, with the 21-year-old believed to have been extensively scouted by United.
Taylor has been integral to Ajax since last season, when he grabbed eight goals and three assists from defensive midfield, and he would be willing to leave Ajax with the Dutch side sitting ninth in the Eredivisie.
United have been looking for a defensive-minded midfielder with Casemiro injured and out of form, while Sofyan Amrabat has struggled to adapt to English football since his loan move in the summer.
Andre (Fluminense)
Another summer arrival who has had a slow start to life at Old Trafford is Mason Mount, with the £60 million signing from Chelsea having yet to provide a goal or assist and missing a large part of the season through injury.
Mount was touted as the perfect number eight for Ten Hag’s team but his problems have left United lacking energy in midfield and in the market for an alternative, with Fluminense’s Andre having been scouted extensively in recent months.
Andre has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, having been a target for Liverpool in the summer, and Fluminense are resigned to losing their star midfielder in January after winning the Copa Libertadores, with a fee of £30 million likely to grab their attention.
Brian Brobbey (Ajax)
A long-term target of Ten Hag, Brian Brobbey remains high on United's shortlist and reports have claimed that the club will attempt to try and sign the Ajax youngster this month after an impressive start to the season.
Brobbey played under Ten Hag at Ajax and has netted nine times in 16 league games this season, having turned down a move to United in 2022.
United are still believed to be in contact with Brobbey while the player and Ten Hag both hold each other in high esteem and a transfer will certainly be considered in the summer if it is not possible this month.
Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad)
Karim Benzema's future in Saudi Arabia is already uncertain after just a few months in the nation and there has been speculation the veteran could end up leaving the club on loan this winter.
The likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid have been linked to the Frenchman but United could see Benzema as a stopgap of experience until the summer when they can spend properly to get an alternative to Rasmus Hojlund.
Al-Ittihad have shown no desire to loan out Benzema and still see the Ballon d'Or winner as an integral part of their sporting project but if the 36-year-old does push for an exit, a move to United will surely be high on his wish list.
