Revealed: What Manchester United plan to do in January transfer window

Manchester United will prioritise player sales over new signings in the January transfer window as they look to address their 'tight' financial situation. It is understood there is effectively no real budget available for new additions this month with one source simply stating there is 'no money' available to Ruben Amorim during the winter window.

United backed former manager Erik ten Hag with an investment of over £200 million in five signings during the summer transfer window and spent just over another £10 million to sack him only a couple of months into the current season. It cost a further £11 million in compensation to hire his replacement Amorim as well as his backroom staff.

It means United's only hope of signing anyone permanently this month will rely on selling players first, with just about every member of the first-team squad available for transfer if an appropriate offer is made. Even then, there are many players United might struggle to move on due to their high transfer valuations as well as their hefty wage demands.

Any additions this month are more likely to come in the shape of short-term loan deals or free agents with suitable wage demands, as United weigh up whether it is even worth adding to the squad mid-season or waiting for a more meaningful rebuild at the end of the campaign. Amorim has identified left wing-back as a priority position for reinforcement, while he would also like another striker and an attacking midfielder.

United have lost six of their first 11 matches under Amorim and speaking after defeat to Newcastle earlier this week, he gave reporters a bleak update on their transfer plans. "We don’t have that possibility in January. You know the situation better than I [do]. It’s not the case I am not arriving here and I can spend a lot of money, changing all the team. You know the situation so it’s not a point to talk about it."

Marcus Rashford is one of those who would be allowed to leave United this month, though there are few clubs who appear to be in a position to buy him outright as well as match his salary demands. There is an extra incentive for United to sell Rashford due to the fact he is an academy graduate, so any transfer fee received would be recognised as pure profit from a financial point of view.

It would also be hugely beneficial to sell a high-earner like midfielder Casemiro, while United might only have this month to sell Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof before their respective deals expire at the end of the season.