Erik ten Hag teases 'five or six new signings' for Man Utd in January
- Man Utd in middle of underwhelming 2023/24 season
- Campaign has been derailed by various injuries
- Erik ten Hag looking forward to welcoming key players back
By Sean Walsh
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has claimed the return of several key players from injuries in January will feel like "five or six new signings".
The Red Devils have stumbled through the 2023/24 season to this point, though are one of several high-profile sides to have been decimated by an injury crisis.
Most of their starting lineup from last season have missed time already this term, while marquee summer signing Mason Mount has played only 626 minutes since joining from Chelsea in part due to a calf problem.
At a press conference ahead of United's trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening, Ten Hag revealed he was looking forward to the second half of the season with such key players in line for returns.
"I think we are very optimistic," Ten Hag said. "When the players return and now the luck is a little bit on our side in the matter of injuries then we have five or six new signings in January."
Alongside Mount, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are among the names expected to be at Ten Hag's disposal again in the coming weeks.
One player the Dutchman will be without however is goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon. Fellow summer arrival Altay Bayindir is expected to deputise in Onana's absence.
"I never talk in if, but we are prepared for this. We constructed the squad so that we are prepared for this scenario. When we have news we will let you know," Ten Hag said when asked about Onana's absence for the next month.
United will kick off 2024 with a trip to Wigan Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup before returning to Premier League action at home to top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
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