A Great Deal: Man United’s January transfer window looks fantastic with investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe….

For many, part of the fun of being a Manchester United supporter has always been to immerse oneself in the intrigue and drama of the transfer market. Following United’s pursuit of big names and trying to figure out which stories are real and which are not has led to millions of hours spent debating the issue in the pub and on internet forums.

 

So when the owners have literally run out of money and their credit limit has been reached, what do we have to look forward to as the clock ticks down to the next window? An incompetent scramble for a loan player culminating in another Odion Ighalo or Wout Weghorst?

 

Well, The Sun have offered us a ray of hope. According to the outlet, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose 25% investment in the club is set to be finalised any day now, is going to provide a war chest for the January window.

 

They do not say how much this will be. The article states that his 25% investment in the club will “free up funds” for transfers, and this does not make sense in itself. One person buying shares of another does not free up funds for transfers in the same way that someone buying a car off someone else does not free up funds for a new engine or a respray. It simply means that the ownership has changed.

Nonetheless, several reports from arguably more reliable sources have claimed that Sir Jim is going to invest an initial £245 million in upgrading Old Trafford, so it is certainly possible that he will also invest a certain figure into the transfer budget. After all, getting into the Champions League will be more crucial than ever this season, due to the new and more lucrative format starting in 2024/25, and any sensible owner would know United desperately need to strengthen to achieve that goal.

 

And that small chink of light allows us fans to resurrect our annual ritual of speculating on who those new signings might be.

 

The report in The Sun claims that the club will be pursuing a “full-back and a winger.” However, a centre forward must also be high on the list, with Anthony Martial likely to be leaving and Rasmus Hojlund desperately needing some backup.