Sky Sports: Man Utd make January decision as three top targets confirmed | OneFootball

Manchester United will lose the services of Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui during the African Cup of Nations. So will they intervene in the market?

Since the three aforementioned players are considered regular starters, Ruben Amorim will be left with a major selection headache, just when his team is beginning to find its rhythm.

Since AFCON will be contested between December 21 and January 18, these three players could be unavailable for several weeks, not to mention that they might require some rest upon their return, as players often return from Africa in less-than-perfect condition.

Man United not expected to make any January signings

Despite the gap caused Diallo, Mbeumo and Mazraoui’s departures, Sky Sports doesn’t expect Man Utd to go searching for replacements in January.

As the source explains, the Red Devils have already laid their plans for 2026, with the priority being to strengthen their midfield department.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

INEOS have thus identified Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson as their three main transfer targets for this role, with one (or potentially two) expected to arrive next year.

So as Sky explains, Man Utd are expected to stick to this plan, and since none of their three top targets are likely to be available in January, the club shouldn’t conduct any mid-season business.

Why Man Utd should keep their squad intact

At this stage, Amorim appears to be comfortable with the size of the squad. After all, a bigger group would be difficult to manage with the club playing once per week.

So while navigating the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period won’t be easy without three key players, United should avoid resorting to stopgap solutions.

Moreover, the absence of the African trio could pave the way for underused players like Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo to prove their worth, and perhaps challenge for regular starting roles during the second half of the season.