Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has ruled out any transfer deadline day arrivals at the club, leaving the club to look ahead to the summer window.
The completion of the £37million deal for Amad Diallo from Atalanta has been the only incoming at Old Trafford this month and Solskjaer confirmed ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League game against Southampton that the picture wouldn’t change tonight.
“I can confirm there won't be anyone coming in, so don't stay up late,” he said in his press conference.
United have been busy trying to trim their squad this month, with the likes of Jesse Lingard (West Ham United), Facundo Pellistri (Alaves) and James Garner (Nottingham Forest) leaving on loan, while Timothy Fosu-Mensah left permanently for Bayer Leverkusen.
Their plans for the summer months will of course depend on how the remainder of the 2020-21 season pans out, but that hasn’t stopped pundits from highlighting areas of weakness.
With many big-name players out of contract and long-term targets potentially becoming available, where do former United players Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Rio Ferdinand think the club should prioritise?
‘Centre-back and right-winger’ - Gary Neville
Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast on January 17 after the 0-0 draw with Liverpool, he said: “I look at this game and think where can you go from being [challengers] to being title winners. One thing would be Manchester United need to push up the pitch a bit more, to be up in the game a little bit more.
“If you look at Liverpool, even with Fabinho and [Jordan] Henderson, they’re well up the pitch, they’re playing on the halfway line. You look at Manchester United, they’re just playing a little bit deeper.
“And I think when they come here and play 10 yards further up the pitch – maybe in a couple of seasons or next season when maybe they’ve got another centre-half in the club who can give them that confidence to do so – at that point that’s when you’ll start to see them doing it.
“The other bit is that right-hand side is emerging… well, not emerging, it is a problem. There’s no doubt. Juan Mata has played there, (Daniel) James has played there, (Paul) Pogba has played there, (Marcus) Rashford’s played there, (Donny) Van de Beek’s played there, (Mason) Greenwood’s played there.
“That’s six players that I can think of and I’ve probably missed out some that have played in that position and no-one’s cemented it. And we know that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted that right-wing position filled in the summer, he didn’t get it, and it’s just posing a little bit of a problem.
“Because I think if there was a goalscoring right winger in that squad today, with Rashford and Martial – and maybe Greenwood could have been the person but he’s just not quite there yet – that I think would potentially be a difference.
“So a centre-back that gets them up the pitch that extra 10 yards and maybe that right winger. There’s still a question mark over whether the centre-forwards are good enough, but at the moment those are the two positions I would focus most on.
“And we know that Liverpool’s problems were a goalkeeper and a centre-back and they got Alisson and they got Van Dijk. Manchester United just need that little bit of belief, a couple of extra players, they’re not as far away as it looks if Liverpool and Manchester City stay at this standard and don’t jump back up to that 100-points-a-season standard which is incredible.”
‘Doubts about defence and goalkeeper’ - Roy Keane
“It’s been such a bizarre season, but if they win today then all of a sudden, you’ll have a different mindset [on their title credentials]," Keane told Sky Sports ahead of the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on January 17. "I’ve still got my doubts about United obviously, defensively and with the goalkeeper, but I’d be delighted if this team proved me wrong.”
‘Grealish is my man’ - Rio Ferdinand
"Scott McTominay holding, [Paul] Pogba alongside him, a bit advanced maybe,” the pundit said on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE on January 4.
"Bruno [Fernandes] in the 10, Grealish on the left, [Marcus] Rashford up top and [Mason] Greenwood on the right. Imagine that - I’m licking my lips right now.”
He added: "I don’t care if Pogba goes or not, Grealish is my man. I have heard from a lot of people that he is diligent in all the work he does off the pitch to get to where he is now. You are seeing results week in and week out.
"If I am a manager of a top team in England, a top three or four team, then I would not allow him to stay there, I would go and take him."
‘A young Cavani’ - Jamie Carragher
The former Liverpool defender told Sky Sports after the 0-0 draw with Arsenal on January 30: "That is one thing, we’re talking about United winning the league and you think well what are they lacking?
"They’re almost lacking a young Cavani. I don’t think Martial will ever be that mainstay of a striker, Cavani’s been a great player. He’s still done really well since he’s come to United but that’s one area I think they can certainly improve in."
