Reuben Amorim has a chance in January to leave his mark on Manchester United after taking over from Erik ten Hag at the end of November.
The 39-year-old had to work with the additions made by his predecessor, winning just two Premier League games since his appointment, against Everton and local rivals Manchester City.
Comings and goings can be expected this month, as the hierarchy look to back the manager to enable him to succeed during his time at Old Trafford.
Ten days after the deadline, there is still no movement in either direction, but a number of names have already been linked with a move to the North West.
However, two deals could fall through as a result, potentially giving the new manager the ammunition needed to turn around a poor start to the season.
Manchester United January transfer update
In recent days it has been confirmed that United did willing to part with the star of the academy Alejandro Garnacho this month if they receive an acceptable offer this month.
Atlético Madrid is one of the sides they have it is already associated with moving to re-sign the Argentinian after he joined the Red Devils from the Spanish side back in 2020.
The 20-year-old has scored eight goals in 29 games in all competitions, but Amorim has since left him out of multiple games in what he described as “tactical decision“.
Such a departure could open the door to a new arrival, the Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia already advertised with a big money move to Old Trafford this window.
The Georgian national team player could leave Serie A for €80m (£67m)but United would face stiff competition from Chelsea, Liverpool and PSG for his signature.
He is undoubtedly an elite level talent, scored 30 goals in the last three seasonsbut could potentially be out of the price range of the hierarchy given the cost reduction operation.
Reason for concern? Maybe not…
Man Utd’s own version of Kvaratskhelia
If Garnacho were to be relieved, many fans would undoubtedly see Kvaratskhelia as the perfect player to step in and replace the youngster at Old Trafford.
However, Amorim may already have his version of a Georgia international in the form of academy star Ethan Ennis, who has caught the eye in recent months.
The 20-year-old has he made 12 appearances for the U21 team in all competitions during 2024/25. scored six times and registered two assists – who has featured in the EFL Trophy in recent months.
Ennis already has a professional contract at the Theater of Dreams but has yet to make a single appearance for the club’s first team, but could do so in the next few months if the Argentine leaves.
It has been since then ranked as a similar player the potential new addition of Kvaratskhelia by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with his ability to feature on the front line is undoubtedly beneficial to the United manager.
His “Explosive“ Pace, as described by Kulig, could also be beneficial, but his end product is also something that catches the eye, producing a superb catalog of goals for the academy side.
There’s no denying that there’s a big jump between the youth set-up and the first team, but Garnacho is proof that when opportunities are given to youngsters, the benefits are there.
Ennis could be the latest beneficiary of the club’s excellent academy, possessing many qualities that could see him jump into Amorim’s plans in the near future.
Given his comparisons to the Napoli star, the homegrown gem would help save the club millions if he is promoted, fitting into the board’s cost-cutting scheme, while also boosting his development and allowing fans to forget about current ace Garnach.
