Manchester United have had a quiet January transfer window and it appears unlikely that they will make a marquee signing before the deadline next week.
The club have signed Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst on loan from Crystal Palace and Burnley respectively. They are said to be eyeing another temporary deal.
Hence, there may not be any big spending until the summer but it won’t be straightforward for United amid their ongoing concerns over Financial Fair Play.
They will need to offload players first in order to boost their spending capacity. Here are three candidates that could help United to recoup reasonable funds.
Harry Maguire
The club captain has been out-of-favour under manager Erik ten Hag since the humiliating 4-0 loss at Brentford in August. He has since been a regular on the bench.
To make things worse, Luke Shaw has been preferred ahead of him for the central defensive duties lately, giving a clear hint that he does not feature in the future plans.
West Ham United recently failed with a loan approach for his services, but it won’t come as a surprise if he makes the permanent switch to the Hammers this summer.
The Red Devils are unlikely to recoup anywhere close to the £80 million fee spent but should receive at least £30-40m as he is still one of England’s best centre-backs.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Wan-Bissaka has had an impressive resurgence since the World Cup. He has been a regular starter at right-back with Diogo Dalot struggling on the sidelines with muscle injuries.
The former Crystal Palace man has always been impressive with his ability to win one-on-one duels, but he has yet to prove to Ten Hag that he can make a difference in the final third.
The 25-year-old rarely makes forays into the opposition half. His crossing is also non-existent at times and the manager may want a solid upgrade on him to compete with Dalot.
His mini-revival after the mid-season break could help United secure a decent transfer fee in the summer.
Anthony Martial
Martial’s name in the list may raise a few eyebrows. Earlier this season, Ten Hag said that the Frenchman is the perfect striker for him with his hold-up play and regular high pressing.
However, the 27-year-old has yet to cement his place in the starting line-up, largely due to fitness issues. He has been sidelined with four separate injuries in the current campaign.
The manager recently said that he is ‘really important‘ to the team’s success but Ten Hag is unlikely to stay patient with the forward if he continues to pick up injuries every now and then.
Martial will need to prove his form and fitness between now and the end of the season. If he fails to do so, he could be shown the exit door such that a marquee striker can be signed.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
