Ruben Neves made 177 Premier League appearances for Wolves, scoring 21 goals
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has indicated that the club may consider making signings during the January transfer window.
The club’s summer transfer spending was partly funded by an additional £105m in debt, with their November accounts revealing total debts of £1.1bn.
Despite a £230m outlay on new players in the summer, vulnerabilities within Amorim’s squad have been evident throughout the season. Central midfield and left wing-back are understood to be priority areas for reinforcement.
Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is reportedly of interest to United. Ruben Neves and Conor Gallagher, both likely to be available next month, possess the Premier League experience that Amorim has found valuable in players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
“I don’t know what is going to happen, but it’s possible we can do something – we will see,” Amorim stated.
“The only thing we know is that we would only try to bring players we think are going to be the future.
“It’s not going to be to save something in this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for Afcon.”
The upcoming absence of Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussar Mazraoui, who could miss up to seven games due to their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, has prompted Amorim to contemplate potential alterations to his preferred tactical setup.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s match against Aston Villa, Amorim commented, “If we have to change to a back four, we change to a back four.”
Amorim has previously resisted calls to adopt a four-man defense and a three-man midfield, a formation that many believe would solidify United’s defense and provide Kobbie Mainoo with a more direct path into the starting eleven.
Should England midfielder Mainoo not start at Villa Park, especially with Casemiro suspended, questions will be raised about his future opportunities.
Mainoo’s situation is intertwined with potential transfer activity.
As in the summer window, the 20-year-old is reportedly open to a loan move, but his regular inclusion in Amorim’s squad would necessitate a replacement.
Former Wolves captain Neves is believed to be willing to accept a reduced salary compared to his current earnings in the Saudi Pro League to facilitate a return to the Premier League.
Neves, who declined a new contract with Al Hilal after joining in 2023, would need to align with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s objective of ending the club’s practice of offering £300,000-a-week contracts.
His salary would still surpass that of Mainoo, whose current long-term deal, signed in February 2023, does not reflect his recent first-team breakthrough.
Should United opt to loan out Mainoo, they would need to determine whether to include a permanent option to offset the cost of acquiring a replacement.
Questions remain about how Semenyo would fit into a team where Bruno Fernandes has already been deployed in central midfield to accommodate Mbeumo and Cunha in the number 10 roles, but United sources express confidence in Amorim’s ability to find a solution.
The 25-year-old Ghana international, who scored for Bournemouth in their 4-4 draw at Old Trafford earlier this month, reportedly has a £65m release clause that can be activated early in January.
However, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are also reportedly interested in securing his services.
Amorim could either implement a permanent tactical shift or utilize Semenyo as an attacking option at left wing-back, a position where he currently lacks a similar attacking profile to Amad on the right.
Regardless, Amorim’s comments are likely to be welcomed by United supporters, who have witnessed their team’s near-misses in securing a Champions League spot in recent months.
Amorim emphasizes that any potential signings will be made with the long-term future in mind.
“We will try to bring in now – and at the end of the season – players that are perfect for our future,” he concluded.
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