Marcus Rashford’s future was always going to dominate the January transfer window for Manchester United.
Ruben Amorim is desperate for reinforcements after a miserable four-match losing streak and Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres is his prime target. But the Swede’s £80million price tag will not make things easy, meaning Rashford’s reluctance to take a big-money move to Saudi Arabia is particularly galling.
Other exits are on the cards, with Casemiro and Antony attracting interest from Saudi, Joshua Zirkzee the subject of speculation and Diogo Dalot said to be rivalling Trent Alexander-Arnold as a Real Madrid chase a right-back.
We’re just three days into the January window and there has already been plenty of movement, so allow Mirror Football to keep you up to date with all the latest from Manchester United…
Manchester United want to sign on-loan Napoli striker Victor Osimhen – and send Marcus Rashford the other way.
The Sun report that United are planning to break Napoli’s deal with Galatasaray, where Osimhen is spending this season on loan, and use Rashford as a makeweight.
The Nigerian striker has a £62million release clause clause while Rashford is valued at £40m.
Napoli and United did business over the summer when Scott McTominay joined the Serie A title chasers.
Paraguayan wonderkid Diego Leon is reportedly due to fly to England for a medical with Manchester United.
Leon, 17, is a highly-rated left-back who’s made his name playing for Cerro Porteno.
United are claimed to have won the race for his services and he’ll join the Red Devils later this year.
Diego Léon: “Thank you all for the welcome, it was really nice. I can’t thank you enough, you surprised me so much that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s a dream come true (to join Man United) & I thank my family and everyone of O’Leary.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/6Q7ueJzjI4
More chat from agents this morning.
Ruben Amorim reportedly wants to sign a new goalkeeper in 2025, with Altay Bayindir’s mistakes against Tottenham fresh in his mind.
Deemed not good enough to seriously challenge Andre Onana, Bayindir’s agent, Sefa Seyrek, has told Sports Digitale: “Altay had offers from many European clubs last summer.
“There are currently clubs that are interested, but Altay wants to stay and play in Manchester. The club definitely does not want to lose Altay.”
Dani Olmo’s agent has confirmed that his future remains with Barcelona, despite the club’s struggle to register him ahead of tonight’s deadline.
Barcelona were granted a three-day extension when La Liga rejected their attempts to register 26-year-old midfielder Olmo and team-mate Pau Victor to their squad for the second half of the season on December 31.
Agent Andy Bara told Give Me Sport: “We are not negotiating with any club. Dani is Barcelona player and he wants to be a Barcelona player. He has made a big effort in his life to be at Barcelona. It was his desire for a long time.”
Spain international Olmo, who Barca paid RB Leipzig €55million (£46m) to sign in the summer, has been linked with a move to Manchester United amid the uncertainty.
Callum Whelan has joined League Two strugglers Carlisle United from non-league Gateshead.
The former Manchester United prospect previously played in the EFL for Watford and Oldham Athletic, having spent more than a decade at Old Trafford in his youth.
✍️ Carlisle United Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Callum Whelan on a two-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee from Gateshead FC.
Read more. ⤵️
Manchester United want to use Marcus Rashford as a makeweight in an ambitious swap deal for Victor Osimhen, The Sun reports.
Rashford is ready for a new challenge, but has rejected the idea of moving to Turkey or Saudi Arabia. However, United hope they can convince him to join Napoli so they can land Osimhen this month.
Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray, has a £62million release clause. United hope that Rashford – who they value at £40m – can bring down that asking price.
They negotiated with Napoli over Scott McTominay in the summer and hope they can do another deal this month.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy could turn to Manchester United in a bid to strengthen his squad this month.
The Foxes are in danger of being relegated and need new players this month. Van Nistelrooy only left Old Trafford recently after a brief stint as interim head coach.
He said: “Of course, I am looking at my network, having played in a couple of countries and more clubs. It’s important to use my network in opportunities to strengthen the squad. We’re looking at all possibilities to help the team reach its target. We’re looking everywhere.”
Leroy Sane is the subject of interest from Galatasaray – which could force Manchester United into acting.
The Bayern Munich winger’s future in Germany remains unclear and the Turkish champions are looking to make an ambitious attempt to bring him to Istanbul. Galatasaray have set a meeting so that they can discuss the prospect of signing the winger, reports Fotomac.
United themselves have been linked with the 28-year-old, who has previously played at nearby Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles.
Ben Foster believes that Joshua Zirkzee’s days as a Manchester United player would be number if Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge.
Zirkzee initially headed down the tunnel when substituted by Ruben Amorim against Newcastle, before returning to watch the rest of the 2-0 defeat.
“When he walked off down the tunnel… If Alex Ferguson would have been manager, that player would have been done,” Foster said on his YouTube channel.
“Whoever that is, if you walk off that pitch when you’ve been brought off after 30 minutes, get a coat and walk straight into the dressing room. You’re done. I promise you, you’re done. It just doesn’t work like that.”
Zirkzee has received interest from Juventus and Napoli, but is reportedly focused on United.
Marcus Rashford is not interested in cashing in with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia yet.
Reports emerged yesterday stating that deals worth a whopping £35million per year had been floated to move to the Middle East, but Rashford is not tempted. He wants a fresh start at a major club in Europe.
Manchester United could take advantage of Chelsea’s desire to offload Ben Chilwell to land a cut-price deal this month.
Enzo Maresca is desperate to offload the defender, who still has two and a half year left on his £190,000-a-week contract. It’s therefore understood that Chelsea might have to pay the 28-year-old out of his deal to secure a permanent transfer, or heavily subsidise a loan.
Ruben Amorim needs a left wing-back – a position that Chilwell is very familiar with. United were also credited with interest in him over the summer.
And welcome to the Manchester United live transfer blog.
Stay tuned and we will bring you all the latest.
Thanks for sticking with us for all your Manchester United updates this evening.
We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow with all the latest, and hope to see you then.
Goodnight!
Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush has been linked with Manchester United, among other English clubs, and comments about his future have been shared by Sport Bild (via 90min).
“What I can promise the fans is that I will give my all for Eintracht in every game,” the Egyptian said. “I am not thinking about a transfer. I am living in the here and now and enjoying my time in Frankfurt.
“Eintracht believed in me and put their trust in me. I want to repay that trust with good performances and goals. What happens in the distant future, however, doesn’t interest me.
“I want to continue to do my best so that at the end of the season we can say as a team: We have achieved something big.”
There have been conflicting reports over the future of Casemiro at Manchester United.
The Brazilian has struggled to follow up his impressive first season at Old Trafford, and there’s growing noise about a potential Saudi Pro League move.
According to Givemesport, though, he might get a few more months in England before completing his exit over the summer.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani is a potential replacement if United allow Joshua Zirkzee to leave.
That’s according to Tuttojuve, who indicate the French international is not part of PSG boss Luis Enrique’z plans.
However, there has been no suggestion the Premier League side are close to an agreement at the time of writing.
David Eklund, the scout who discovered a young Viktor Gyokeres in Sweden, believes the striker would be a hit in the Premier League.
United have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, who starred for Sporting CP as they won the Primeira Liga under Ruben Amorim last season.
“Every team needs a player like Viktor,” Brommapojkarna head scout Eklund told Flashscore.
“If he goes to Spain he’ll score goals, if he goes to England he’ll score goals. He can play in any league.”
According to UOL, Manchester United are open to letting Antony leave on loan in January.
The same outlet suggests Casemiro could leave United for Saudi Arabia sooner rather than later.
Whether a suitable loan offer for Antony arrives is a different matter, but the winger is no closer to establishing himself as a regular under Ruben Amorim.
Alongside the discussion of United’s dismal form, one of the recent talking points has surrounded supposed team news leaks.
No source of the leaks has been publicly revealed, but some players think they know who’s responsible.
United’s backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is likely to leave in one of the next two transfer windows, according to Sky Germany.
The Turkish international has struggled for minutes as Andre Onana’s deputy.
With Tom Heaton out of contract in the summer, United could find themselves adding two new keepers to their ranks in the next 12 months.
There has been growing noise around a potential exit for Joshua Zirkzee, just six months after his arrival at Old Trafford.
Juventus continue to be heavily linked, with their manager Thiago Motta having got the best out of the Dutchman at Bologna last term.
With United seemingly needing to sell if they can spend, might they cut their losses – or even sanction a loan move to free up squad space?
Dani Olmo is still prioritising a Barcelona stay, despite reported interest from Manchester United and elsewhere.
Barca have run into difficulties when is comes to registering the Spaniard for the second half of the season, with United and Manchester City both thought to be keen to pounce.
However, Olmo – who only rejoined boyhood club Barca in August – is believed to be prepared to wait rather than jumping ship.
Marcus Rashford has turned down approaches from the Saudi Pro League, it has been claimed.
The United star is reported to have been the subject of big-money offers worth up to £35million-per-year.
However, a move to what he considers a less competitive league is not thought to be a priority.
United youngster Amad is one of seven Premier League players in contention for December’s Goal of the Month award.
The Ivorian’s dramatic late winner in the Manchester Derby is a contender, as is Matheus Cunha’s goal for Wolves against United on Boxing Day.
The other contenders are Alexander Isak, Enes Unal, Cole Palmer, Chris Wood and Tariq Lamptey, with Brighton defender Lamptey nominated twice.
It wouldn’t be a transfer window without Frenkie de Jong being linked with Manchester United.
While Erik ten Hag is no longer at Old Trafford, his former Ajax acolyte continues to face questions on his Barcelona future.
“My contract renewal is a topic for the newspapers here, but it is not for me,” the Dutch international is quoted as saying by Voetbal International (via Football Espana) .
“I want to play football and then I will see what the club wants to do with me and then I will decide what I want to do, together with my agent and my family,”
Theo Hernandez is among the left-sided players to be linked with Manchester United, and Sport1 (via Sky Sports) sugegst the Frenchman won’t extend his AC Milan contract beyond its current 2026 finish date.
That has prompted suggestions of a January exit, but United aren’t the only club to be linked
Bayern Munich are also thought to be keen, with the future of United target Alphonso Davies – currently on Bayern’s books – potentially factoring in to what happend with Hernandez.
Leroy Sane could yet be set to hurt Manchester United once more.
According to reports in Turkey, Galatasaray are interested in signing the German winger. They are apparently set to hold talks with his agent.
Sane’s Bayern Munich deal expires at the end of the season. United were previously linked with a move for him.
Luke Littler has urged Manchester United to make a loan move for Dani Olmo.
The Spaniard could potentially be available this January after Barcelona failed to secure his registration.
Taking to Instagram, the 17-year-old darts star wrote: “6 month loan United,” alongside an eyes emoji.
Amid claims that Ruben Amorim has demanded the Red Devils make a move for Viktor Gyokeres, the Swedish striker’s asking price has now been confirmed.
As per the Daily Star, he has a £80m release clause written into his deal with Sporting Lisbon. And it is suggested that Sporting president Frederico Varandas wants that paid fully before agreeing to sell Gyokeres.
Ex-Man Utd star and boss Ruud van Nistelrooy could hand the Red Devils a massive helping hand.
The Dutchman has admitted that he could look to his former clubs for signings, with United aiming to loan out a few of their stars this January.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s game with Aston Villa, he said: “Of course, I’m looking at my network. Having played in a couple of countries and more clubs, it’s important to use my network as well for opportunities to strengthen the squad.
“We’ll look at all possibilities to help this team reach its targets. We’re looking everywhere.”
Can United mount a title challenge? Get our FREE daily Manchester United email newsletter