It is a strange time at Old Trafford.
Honestly, if you told a Manchester United fan back in November that Ruben Amorim would be gone by January 15, 2026, they would have probably laughed you out of the room. Yet, here we are. Amorim is out after a chaotic 14-month spell, and Michael Carrick is back in the dugout as the interim boss.
This upheaval has sent the mufc transfer news now cycle into a complete tailspin. Usually, a winter window is about fixing a specific leak or adding a bit of depth. Now? It is about survival and bridging the gap to whatever "Project 2026" looks like under INEOS.
The Ruben Neves U-Turn
For years, the link between Ruben Neves and Manchester United was a "when, not if" situation. Then he went to Al-Hilal, and most people assumed that ship had sailed.
Well, it’s back.
Reports from The Guardian and other insiders suggest United are weighing up a £20 million move for the 28-year-old. Why now? Basically, Carrick needs a deep-lying playmaker who understands the Premier League. Neves is out of contract in Saudi Arabia this summer, so Al-Hilal might actually be willing to cash in rather than losing him for free.
It makes sense.
Carrick is ditching Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system and going back to a 4-2-3-1. That means the midfield needs more technical security. If you’ve watched United lately, the "chaos ball" in the middle of the park has been their undoing. Neves isn't the fastest, but he doesn't lose the ball.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Bruno Fernandes
There is a lot of noise about Bruno Fernandes leaving.
The iNews report about him being "tired of the chaos" certainly didn't help. 31 is a tricky age for a midfielder. You start thinking about that one last big contract or a chance to win the trophies that have eluded you at Old Trafford.
But here is the reality: Bruno isn't going anywhere this month.
Sources close to the club, including the BBC, have made it clear that while he might reassess in the summer, he’s staying to help Carrick. He still has a year left on his deal after this season. He is the captain. Walking out mid-season during a managerial crisis just isn't his style, even if he did have a meeting with Amorim’s coach, Carlos Fernandes, that got everyone's tongues wagging.
The Yan Diomande and Joao Gomes Situations
If you want a blockbuster, look toward RB Leipzig.
United have reportedly put €70 million on the table for Yan Diomande. Leipzig want €100 million. It is a massive gap. Diomande is a game-changer on that left side, but forking out that kind of cash in January is a huge risk, especially when you don't even have a permanent manager in place.
Then there is Joao Gomes at Wolves.
United have liked him for ages. Napoli and Atletico Madrid are also sniffing around. The good news? Gomes reportedly prefers to stay in the Premier League. The bad news? Atletico have just sold Conor Gallagher to Spurs for £35 million and have a fresh pile of cash to burn. United might get outbid if they don't move fast, but the current club policy seems to be "keep the powder dry."
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The "No Signings" Policy
Here is the kicker.
Despite all the rumors about Neves and Diomande, some very reliable outlets like ESPN are reporting that United have no plans to sign anyone this month.
Wait, what?
It sounds crazy, but the logic is that the club doesn't want to buy players for an interim manager. They spent £215 million in the summer on guys like Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha. They feel this squad is good enough to reach the Champions League spots if Carrick can just settle the vibes.
Targets like Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Carlos Baleba (Brighton), and Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) aren't available in January anyway.
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INEOS is playing the long game. They’d rather wait for the right player in July than panic-buy a second-choice option in January.
The Youth Recall Strategy
Instead of spending, United are looking inward.
- Toby Collyer is back from West Brom.
- Sonny Aljofree is back from Notts County.
- Ethan Wheatley has returned from Northampton.
It's not exactly the "Galactico" news fans want to hear, but it provides bodies for the training ground. Harry Amass is also back from Sheffield Wednesday, and there’s a tug-of-war between Stoke and Watford to take him on loan next.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Window
If you are following the mufc transfer news now, stop looking for "confirmed" deals every five minutes. It’s not that kind of window.
- Watch the Midfield Outgoings: If Manuel Ugarte moves (Turkey has been mentioned), that is the only way a player like Ruben Neves arrives. One in, one out.
- Monitor the Derby: The Manchester Derby this Saturday will dictate a lot. If United get thrashed, the pressure on the board to "do something" in the market will become unbearable.
- Summer Groundwork: The real news right now isn't who is signing today, but who the club is meeting with for July. Alex Scott at Bournemouth is a name that keeps coming up.
Manchester United are in a holding pattern. Carrick is the pilot, but the plane is running on limited fuel until the summer. Expect plenty of rumors, a lot of "informal contact," and very few photos of players holding up the shirt at Carrington before the February 2 deadline.
The focus is firmly on stabilizing the ship and ensuring that whoever takes the permanent job in June doesn't inherit a mess of expensive, short-term fixes.