Manchester United’s agonising defeat at Arsenal was their first in the league since the start of November.
Since losing at Aston Villa, there has been dramatic changes at Old Trafford, headlined by the blockbuster departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old was allowed to leave the club in November, following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
That left United boss Erik ten Hag with even fewer attacking options, having already hinted he would like extra prior to Ronaldo’s exit. "We are always in the market," he explained before the January window opened.
But despite that promise, it was always anticipated that this would be a quiet month in terms of potential incomings. Football Director John Murtough intimated as much, claiming that their focus was instead on the summer window.
Murtough said: “As always, the main focus remains on the summer window, and we’re already well under way with our planning for next summer. January is a difficult time to find players that teams are willing to let go. It’s no secret that we’re looking for a new centre-forward.
“We’ll see what’s possible in January, but we only want to bring in players who are good enough, and who will make the squad stronger. We’re not going to sign players for the sake of making signings.
“You also need to remember that we invested over £200million in the squad last summer. And, as a club, we need to remain financially disciplined and compliant with FFP rules. So, while we will be exploring options, I don’t expect it to be a busy January window on the men’s side.”
And while Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland have arrived on loan for the remainder of the season, there isn’t expected to be any more arrivals. That public stance has also been reaffirmed by the decision to allow Tom Keane to leave his role within the club’s recruitment team.
Keane was hired during the summer to assist in negotiations following the exit of Matt Judge. He played a key part in United’s high-profile signings in the summer, including when he joined Murtough in Madrid to get a deal done.
But the Athletic report that after initial discussions were held in regards to extending his stay, he has now returned to his law firm Brandsmiths. It is claimed that uncertainty over United’s ownership meant that recruitment for some roles has been placed on hold.
There had been hopes that Keane would stay in his position permanently, but now a new chief negotiator is set to be hired between now and the start of the summer window. That appears to effectively confirm that the Red Devils are shut for business when it comes to the final week of this month.
The report adds that Keane has still been approached by agents during the current window, but has instead referred them to Murtough, his deputy Andy O’Boyle and head of recruitment operations Steve Brown.
A quiet end to the window may not go down too well with Ten Hag, who has helped transform their fortunes - but lamented his "limited offensive options" following the loss at the Emirates.
