Now that the January transfer window has closed, Manchester United understands its position for the rest of the season. The team was unable to make any additional signings on deadline day, apart from Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu, which means head coach Ruben Amorim has to utilize the current squad for the remainder of the campaign. Amorim had a strong desire to acquire a striker before the deadline, but the club could not finalize an agreement that would be beneficial for everyone involved. They had thought about trying to acquire Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku or Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel on loan. However, United have decided to focus on their expenditures for the summer, aiming to secure a new No.9 as a primary objective for the 2025/26 season. This indicates that the Reds are currently lacking depth in the offensive zone. With the departures of Marcus Rashford, Ethan Wheatley, and Antony, United has become quite short on options in their attacking lineup. They have also lost an important defender, Lisandro Martinez. As a result, Amorim may have to depend on the same players more often than he would prefer to carry United through the remainder of the season. Considering the present state of the team, the manager doesn’t have much flexibility to modify what might become a core group of 20 players for matchday squad. Although he has made some questionable plays and mistakes lately, Andre Onana is anticipated to remain the primary goalkeeper for the club. Since joining from Inter Milan before the 2023/24 season, he has participated in every Premier League match. Unfortunately, the reported ACL injury to Martinez will sideline him for the remainder of the season, which requires Amorim to reorganize the defense. Leny Yoro is anticipated to serve as a long-term player in the right-sided centre-back position, while Harry Maguire prefers to play centrally. This suggests that Matthijs de Ligt might be the prime choice to take over the left centre-back role left vacant by Martinez. Nevertheless, Luke Shaw is nearing recovery from his recent injury and could also be a viable option to take on the left side of the back-three. He has previously appeared at ease as a centre-back, demonstrating strong ball-processing skills, yet his main issue remains his fitness. Luke Shaw may be a fitting option for the left-sided centre-back position.
