Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been told that he won’t have much to spend in the January transfer window. Football director John Murtough admits the Red Devils are unlikely to be busy as they ensure they aim to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations.
United spent around £190million on new signings in the summer. Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana were big-money acquisitions at Old Trafford ahead of the new campaign.
However, none of the new arrivals have made the impact they or Ten Hag would have wanted. United crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage and sit seventh in the Premier League table, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Pressure has increased on Ten Hag’s position, with speculation that he could be replaced once British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe completes his purchase of 25 per cent of the club. Ten Hag will be keen to make additions in January in an attempt to turn things around on the pitch and secure his future at the club.
Click here to join our Man Utd WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive United news.
Read more… Man Utd eye £250m Saudi deal as Chelsea favourite put up for sale
However, Murtough has revealed that departures are more likely than incomings as January is not viewed as the optimum time to make new signings. Murtough told a fans’ forum on December 13: “Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy.
“There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like. However, we’ve always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows.”
Murtough is wary of complying with FFP regulations following Everton’s punishment earlier this season. The Toffees were deducted 10 points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules to send a warning to the rest of the top flight.
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
Don’t miss…
Europa League draw in full as Mourinho’s Roma handed test and Liverpool watch on[NEWS]
Raphael Varane shows true feelings of playing next to Evans in Man Utd defence[SOCIAL]
Brentford transfer chief sends stern message to Arsenal and Chelsea over Toney[QUOTES]
United are determined to abide by the rules in place, with Murtough adding: “We’ve seen this season that Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules have real teeth, so we have to be very careful to ensure that we remain compliant, and we will.
“But that means being really disciplined on spending going forward, with a balance between incomings and outgoings.”
Ten Hag relieved some pressure on his position with a goalless draw at Liverpool on Sunday. United face a trip to West Ham this Saturday before Aston Villa visit on Boxing Day.
Source: Read Full Article
