Manchester United look unlikely to bring in high-profile reinforcements to improve one of their priority areas to strengthen in come January after recent developments.
Man Utd latest news – Defensive issues for Erik ten Hag
Despite Manchester United's poor form at times this campaign, there can be no doubt that significant injury disruption has taken its toll on Erik ten Hag as he aims to field a side capable of challenging for honours at the top end of the English game.
Negative Manchester United injury news has plagued the Dutchman's squad selection process over this term. Key man Lisandro Martinez could be out until the New Year due to suffering a recurrence of a metatarsal problem that ended his involvement in 2022/23, which has come as a major blow to Ten Hag and company.
Of course, France international Raphael Varane has also been a huge miss as well when unavailable for selection. The former Real Madrid defender has already suffered two separate knocks this campaign and only made his return to first-team involvement last weekend, where he appeared on the bench as an unused substitute away to Sheffield United in the Premier League.
Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof have all taken turns as alternating starters in central defence; however, there is a wider acknowledgment that the Red Devils have given away some cheap goals over the last few months. Maguire's Manchester United future was called into question over the summer transfer window after Ten Hag stripped the 30-year-old of the captaincy at the club and allowed him to explore a possible move to West Ham United.
Creating a storm of chaos, it would be imaginable that United may look to enter the market for further defensive reinforcements in January; however, new developments suggest that their quest to bring some much-needed quality to aid their backline may have now hit a major stumbling block.
Man Utd's central defenders – who has featured this campaign? (Transfermarkt)
Player
Appearances
Goals
Raphael Varane
8
1
Lisandro Martinez
6
0
Harry Maguire
5
0
Victor Lindelof
11
0
Jonny Evans
5
0
Man Utd transfer update; Goncalo Inacio and Jean Clair-Todibo
According to an Man Utd transfer update from Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, it now looks as if moves for top defensive targets Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio and Nice's Jean Clair-Todibo are now off the table for the Red Devils due to limited resources that will leave Ten Hag unable to spend big on reinforcements in January.
The reporter states that United have abandoned huge-money moves for the pair and focus will now turn towards signing cheaper alternatives, with Club America ace Sebastian Caceres identified as a possible alternative.
Inacio or Todibo could have improved the Red Devils' solidity within their rearguard; however, they may not come cheap and the continuous unravelling of Man Utd's takeover saga at Old Trafford may need to be resolved before they can splash out on transfers. For now, Ten Hag's men will be focused on a busy run of fixtures as they look to build up ahead of steam on both domestic and European fronts.
