It seems like only yesterday the summer transfer window slammed shut, but we’re now just weeks away from the official opening of it’s winter counterpart.And it looks set to be a particularly busy one for Manchester United, despite their record-breaking £150million spend during the summer, with plenty of work still to be done before the Red Devils can recapture theirÂPremier League dominance of the last few decades.We’re expecting United to go on another spending spree in the New Year and there’s plenty of deadwood piled up at Old Trafford too, so there will almost certainly be some long-due departures.So bearing that in mind and without further ado, here’s a list of THREE players going in and THREE players going out of United this January.
OUT – ANDERS LINDEGAARD
Reportedly told he was free to leave Manchester United during the summer, many expect back-up goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard to find a new club in the coming transfer window.
There’s certainly been some high points of the Danish international’s Old Trafford career, as shown in the below video:
//www.youtube.com/embed/k215Tlmpbyk
But he’s managed just 29 appearances during four years with the Premier League side and is now further away than ever from usurping in-form No.1 David De Gea.
Potential suitors for the 30 year-old are rather thin on the ground, but a speculative report from the Daily Star claims a move to Primeira Liga champions Benfica could be on the cards.
IN – VICTOR VALDES
And the alleged replacement for the expected-to-depart Lindegaard comes in the form of former Barcelona No.1 Victor Valdes.
Currently a free agent after leaving the Nou Camp during the summer, the Spain international has been training with Manchester United for the last month or so and many view him as the ideal mentor to David De Gea, as he sharesÂthe 23 year-old’s nationality and flamboyant shot-stopping style.
There’s no doubting the 32 year-old’s credentials either; he won six La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and five Zamora trophies (the Spanish top flight’s Goalkeeper of the Year award) during his ten campaigns as Barca’s undisputed No.1. Here’s a collection of the veteran’s best ever saves:
//www.youtube.com/embed/R3lrOEM6lE0
Landing Valdes on a free contract seems like a smart enough move. But his wage demands could prove an issue and recent reports claim any contract offer from United could be hijacked by either Serie A champions Juventus or Mexican side Queretaro:
OUT – ANDERSON
A transfer that’s been years and years in the offing, Manchester United will surely get rid of ostracised midfielder Anderson in January.
The Red Devils once splashed out £20million for the Brazilian, originally labelled as Paul Scholes and Roy Keane rolled into one, but a combination of poor form and his pot-bellied fitness has resulted in Anderson making just 105 Premier League appearances in eight years at Old Trafford.
Not that Anderson’s United career has been completely devoid of impressive performances, as shown in the below video:
//www.youtube.com/embed/0dtXDk3HchA
But the former Verde-Amarela starlet has never bettered the 38 appearances across all competitions of his debut campaign and since Sir Alex Ferguson’s resignation in summer 2013 has featured on just ten occasions for the Red Devils.
There aren’t too many suitors out there for Anderson – especially following his torrid seven-game loan spell at Fiorentina last season – and resultantly, reports in November claimed United could, rather simply, terminate his contract.
That could pave the way for a return to boyhood club Gremio:
IN – KEVIN STROOTMAN
Had it not been for a World Cup-ending ACL injury, Manchester United would have likely signed Louis van Gaal favourite Kevin Strootman during the summer, with the Old Trafford boss even publicly admitting his interest in the Dutch international.
United’s midfield lacks mettle and tenacity but Strootman, often referred to as ‘the Dutch Roy Keane’, could be the perfect remedy.
His career’s only moved in one direction too, having emerged as a talisman skipper at PSV before joining Roma in summer 2013 and continuing to excel. Here’s a look at his stats from last term:
Consistent on the ball, dynamic and industrious and well acquainted with Van Gaal through the Oranje set-up, having amassed 25 appearances for the Netherlands, Strootman ticks all the boxes for United. Here’s a clip of him in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/_Wq8cQ-ldJo
The only problem is price-tag. Roma have valued the central midfielder as highly as £79million before and they’ve once again insisted that he won’t be on the move in January:
OUT – JUAN MATA
Juan Mata is Manchester United’s third-top scorer in the Premier League this season with four goals. In fact, his overall return for the Red Devils is a very respectable ten goals and five assists in 27 appearances – including this stunning free kick against Southampton last season:
But the Spain international is still a long way from replicating the level of form that won him back-to-back Player of the Year awards at Chelsea and convinced United to splash out a then-club record £37million on him last January.
Perhaps most worryingly of all, both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal have struggled to find a regular role for him in the starting XI, as he’s seen as too ill-disciplined for central midfield, not mobile enough to play out wide and unlikely to ever replace Wayne Rooney at No.10 on a regular basis.
Resultantly, there’s been plenty of speculation about Mata’s future ahead of the January window, with the latest reports linking him with La Liga side Sevilla:
IN – MATS HUMMELS
The signing that could change everything for Manchester United. The Red Devils desperately need a world-class centre-back and their desired choice remains Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels.
Blending aerial dominance with a Franz Beckenbauer-esque ability to instigate or support attacks, the 25 year-old has quickly developed a reputation as one of the top centre-halves in world football, further underpinned by his World Cup triumphs with Germany during the summer. Here’s a clip of Hummels in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/cOlTY9h1IsA
The German international’s leadership abilities could be vital to a dangerously inexperienced United’s defence whilst his marauding, front-footed nature suits Louis van Gaal’s attacking philosophy too. Here’s a look at his stats over the last few years:
Hummels was appointed Dortmund skipper during the summer in a bid to deter United’s interest. But with now the Black-Yellows are fighting for their lives at the less flattering end of the Bundesliga table, just a point away from safety, he could potentially be luredÂaway in the New Year.