Man Utd's dream end to the January transfer window
- Erik ten Hag's side are out of European competition and have fallen off the pace domestically
- Man Utd have been restricted to departures in the window so far
- The club would benefit from another defensive midfielder this month
By Erik ten Hag's own admission, he supposedly predicted Manchester United's myriad problems this campaign.
"I could expect it from the start of the season that the process could go negative," the Dutchman freely admitted. "Then, as a manager, you have to stay positive and get the process in the right direction."
One obvious way of hauling United out of a rut that leaves them eighth in the Premier League table with less than half the campaign to play comes in the form of the January transfer window.
Here are the incomings and outgoings that could spell a dream end of the month for Ten Hag and his listing ship.
Man Utd's January transfer business so far
With at least 20% of the Premier League under investigation for financial irregularities, United have acted with the same caution sweeping across the division. The first three weeks of the winter window have revolved around exits, with Jadon Sancho's loan to Borussia Dortmund a move that suits all parties.
Donny van de Beek's exile from first-team activities wasn't as official as Sancho's but proved just as effective. The former Ajax star also escaped with a loan to Eintracht Frankfurt while promising 20-year-old midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has been temporarily sent into the bizarre turmoil afflicting relegation-threatened reigning Europa League champions Sevilla.
Tottenham Hotspur's Sergio Reguilon arrived at United in the summer as cover for the injury-prone Luke Shaw but has had his season-long loan cut short. Alvaro Fernandez offers an in-house replacement but the left-back swapped one loan spell at Granada for another temporary move to Benfica this month.
Ideal January arrivals for Man Utd
United have limited funds for recruits this month but if any money is available, Ten Hag is keen on diverting it towards a new striker, 90min revealed earlier this month.
Former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema is openly seeking an exit after six unhappy months in Saudi Arabia but any sale would be complex. In any case, French side Lyon appear to be leading the race for the 36-year-old's signature.
United have made a habit of signing ageing strikers on loan in January. Odion Ighalo and Wout Weghorst may be able to claw at some vague cult status but neither managed a single Premier League goal. Without any standout targets available this month, United's focus may be best served at the other end of the pitch.
Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo and Ronald Araujo of Barcelona, two of United's top centre-back targets, have both been barred from the transfer list by their respective clubs. The demand for a replacement in the back four has softened with the return of Lisandro Martinez from injury but United's defensive midfield has looked in desperate need of reinforcement even with everyone fit.
PSV Eindhoven's Joey Veerman ticks a lot of boxes for this role. Aside from the Eredivisie connection to appease Ten Hag, the 25-year-old deep-lying playmaker possesses both the grit and guile that United's midfield has lacked during Casemiro's dramatic decline this term. Valued at around £25m, a move for Veerman wouldn't break the bank but funds would likely have to be raised through sales.
Other Eredivisie stars that are worth United keeping an eye on include Johan Bakayoko, Santiago Gimenez and Quinten Timber.
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Ideal January departures for Man Utd
Less than 18 months ago, Antony began his Manchester United career by scoring in each of his first three Premier League appearances. The divisive forward has contributed one top-flight goal since and is yet to provide a single strike or assist this season.
Ten Hag admitted that Antony "has to do better", citing the off-field issues looming over the Brazilian. There is no chance of United inspiring bids in the same postcode as Antony's original fee of £86m - which the club's own scouts didn't agree with - but it may be time to cut their losses.
A move to Saudi Arabia has been touted, with United's director of football John Murtough rubbing shoulders with representatives from the Kingdom to build relationships. The success of those meetings will be put to the test when devising a sales pitch for Antony.
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