Save our season? 5 players Man Utd have been tipped to sign in January

Nestor Watach • 18 Nov 2023

Manchester United have been linked with a number of players for the January transfer window, following their underwhelming start to the 2023-24 campaign.

Erik ten Hag’s men have won four of their last five Premier League games, but their performances have been unconvincing – while that run includes a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City as well as losses against Newcastle and FC Copenhagen in the League Cup and Champions League respectively.

There appear to be a number of areas in Ten Hag’s squad that could do with improving. We’ve identified five players that have been tipped to move to Old Trafford in January.

Jean-Clair Todibo

Louis Saha has told his former side to go out and sign the France international.

“He’s a very good defender,” Saha told Betfair.

“He’s very unlucky because currently there’s a golden generation of French defenders and that’s why he doesn’t have many caps for the national team. He’s very good on the ball, he’s calm and he would very much suit Manchester United’s style of play.”

We’re sold, too. Todibo has kept a clean sheet in his last seven(!) appearances for Ligue 1 table-toppers Nice.

READ: The future of Man Utd’s defence is a former Barca wonderkid & a clean sheet monster

Marc Guehi

Todibo isn’t the only centre-back who’s been tipped to bolster Ten Hag’s defensive options in January.

There’s a certain degree of logic to it being a position that they’d look to position mid-season, with Harry Maguire unfancied by Ten Hag, Lisandro Martinez injured, Raphael Varane curiously out of favour and Jonny Evans a stop-gap squad option that’s playing more minutes than anyone expected.

England international Guehi is reportedly on United’s shortlist, according to Football Insider. Crystal Palace are reportedly trying to negotiate a new contract for the 23-year-old, whose current deal runs to 2026. Subsequent reports have suggested that Palace would begrudgingly accept £60million for the rising star if they can’t tie him down.

Tijjani Reijnders

Italian outlet Calciomercato claim that Ten Hag is keen on signing his Dutch compatriot Reijnders, who has caught the eye at AC Milan this season.

The 25-year-old midfielder moved from AZ Alkmaar to the San Siro in the summer for a €20million fee. You imagine that Reijnders, now a regular Netherlands international, would have already been on Ten Hag’s radar given his Eredivisie background.

He also signed a five-year deal with Milan, so we’d take any suggestions of him moving on so soon with a massive pinch of salt.

Arnau Martinez

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Man City are all seriously considering a move for Spain Under-21 international Martinez.

The right-back had already caught the eye of scouts but he’s stepped things up another level this season with a starring role for surprise La Liga table-toppers Girona.

There aren’t concrete links to Old Trafford but right-back has long been cited as an area where United could do with improvement, and 90min recently reported that they’re one of a number of Premier League clubs scouting his progress at Montilivi this season.

Talked about him extensively last season, but with Girona’s form, it seems apt timing to rekindle my interest in Arnau Martinez being United’s future RB.

All-phase effectiveness, two-footed, comfortable acting as a WCB in build-up, can invert & overlap. pic.twitter.com/wbJ3rGCJ96

— Ethan. ✍️ (@EthanTaIks) October 23, 2023

Arthur Vermeeren

TEAMtalk recently reported that Arsenal have emerged as suitors for highly-rated teenage prospect Vermeeren as they look to further bolster Mikel Arteta’s options in midfield.

But the Gunners aren’t the only club to have been linked with a move for the Belgian, who has been tipped to become “a complete midfielder” whose strengths lie in his defensive capabilities.

Defensive has been a problem area for Ten Hag this season, and it makes sense that United’s scouts are tracking Vermeeren as a potential long-term solution for the pivot role.

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