Manchester United appear unlikely to allow Mauricio Pochettino an overhaul of their squad in the winter transfer window. History has shown that the club have rarely recruited mid-season in recent years, even after a head coach change.
Limited Mid-Season Recruitment
Michael Carrick's first signing was Andrey Santos, a deal done six months after Carrick returned to the club. United did not buy any players last winter after spending over £200million on Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammes during the summer.
Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu were the last mid-season arrivals for United. However, neither of them moved the needle much. Heaven was 18 at the time and had made just one senior appearance for Arsenal, with just six more following after the move. Dorgu made more of an impact, playing 20 times, but was mainly signed because United appointed Ruben Amorim without having any wing-backs in their squad to play in his three-at-the-back system.
Past January Signings
The club largely relied on loans before those two additions. Erik ten Hag signed Marcel Sabitzer, Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst, to mixed success. Bruno Fernandes is the last marquee signing United have made in January. However, that was six years ago now, with little since.
Amad joined in the January after. However, like Heaven, he was 18 at the time and barely played first-team football that season before being loaned to Rangers and Sunderland in subsequent seasons.
Costly Mistakes and Current Pressures
United have previously been stung by spending significantly mid-season. Alexis Sanchez was one costly mistake made in 2018, whom they then struggled to shift for the next 18 months. Two years later, United forked out £10million to loan Odion Ighalo for 12 months. The former Watford striker went on to score no Premier League goals after primarily being limited to minutes in the Europa League and FA Cup.
However, with United currently in the relegation zone, fear of dropping down a division could force their hand this winter. At the very least, Pochettino will hope to have a new left-back after the club tried and failed to sign one this summer.
Luke Shaw's inability to stay available this season, unlike last term, has already seen that gamble backfire spectacularly. Central defenders being forced to fill in at full-back is far removed from Pochettino's style of play. There is precedent from Amorim's first windows for addressing dire needs. Only around £30million was spent on Dorgu that winter, though, so it might only be a similarly cut-price addition for the Argentine to rely on.
