Man Utd January transfer window: Impacts of takeover & FFP plus five players who could leave

Manchester United face just four more matches in 2023 and, like most Premier League clubs, the Red Devils will already be thinking about January transfer plans.

But United’s situation is particularly complex given the ongoing takeover issues and the limited room for manoeuvre in relation to Financial Fair Play. It means it should be a relatively quiet window for Erik ten Hag, even if the Dutchman would desperately like to make a number of changes during the mid-season market.

Here’s the latest ahead of January and what United fans can expect during the window.

What’s the latest on Man Utd’s takeover?

First and foremost, the takeover situation casts a shadow over everything at Old Trafford. There’s every chance that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 purchase is agreed this month, but given it will take several weeks for everything to be ratified by the Premier League, there’s no chance the Ineos delegation will be in place to impact January transfers.

That’s particularly infuriating given Ratcliffe and co plan to take the reins of the football operations at Old Trafford, but it’s likely they won’t have any direct impact on transfers until next summer.

How are Man Utd’s finances looking?

Bleak. United have spent over £400m since Ten Hag’s appointment in 2022 and haven’t accrued much from player sales. As a result, one source described the club’s FFP outlook as ‘tight’.

Elimination from Europe hasn’t helped in that regard and United’s finances would have been hugely boosted with the funds earned from securing a spot in the Champions League knockout stages. Instead, United may look to move some players on in January, although there is a feeling inside Old Trafford that the club won’t look to significantly weaken their squad during the season.

Which players could leave Man Utd in January?

Ten Hag has all but admitted Donny van de Beek will be allowed to leave in January, with talk of a loan to Eintracht Frankfurt on the cards. Raphael Varane could also be allowed to depart if an acceptable offer emerges - Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for the defender.

Fellow Frenchman Anthony Martial is permitted to start negotiating with foreign clubs in January as his contract is set to expire next summer. There’s little appetite to extend his deal and the forward may also be allowed to leave in January, although the lack of options in the centre-forward role could be a problem.

Jadon Sancho is another offensive player who could leave during the season, and while Ten Hag is in charge there’s little chance the ex-Borussia Dortmund winger will play for the first team again following that infamous social media post. Selling Sancho for a significant fee next month would drastically improve the club’s financial situation, but a loan move looks more likely at this stage.

Casemiro has also attracted interest from Saudi Arabia and a January exit is possible, although a summer departure is more realistic. United generally see the Saudi Pro League as an area to exploit in the market and potentially move on unwanted players.

Which players are Man Utd interested in?

Centre-back is viewed as an area where United would like to strengthen in the market, with Luke Shaw filling in at the heart of defence recently, while the Red Devils ended Tuesday’s defeat to Bayern Munich with a pairing of Sofyan Amrabat and Jonny Evans.

Jean-Clair Todibo is a player United are keen on and might have signed last summer had Harry Maguire departed. Negotiating with Ineos-owned Nice could also appeal to United. Donyell Malen is another player who has attracted interest, especially with the striker a client of SEG, the agency who have Ten Hag, Sofyan Amrabat and Ramsus Hojlund on their books.

But Todibo and Malen would cost significant fees and while it’s not impossible a player of that ilk could arrive in January, it would likely only be realistic if United can sell in the window. With limited funds, United could explore the loan market once again in January, as they did in the last 12 months with Jack Butland, Marcel Sabitzer, Wout Weghorst, Sergio Reguilon and Amrabat, as well as the deadline-day signing of Jonny Evans on a free.