Manchester United target Mohamed Kader Meïté is reportedly on the verge of joining Al Hilal, robbing the Red Devils of one of the few players they were thought to be willing to buy in January.
Meïté emerged as a surprise target in the immediate aftermath of Patrick Dorgu’s severe hamstring injury. With the Danish wideman sidelined for the best part of 10 weeks, a move to bolster the team’s attack was briefly floated. The long-limbed 18-year-old striker is as exciting as he is raw. Unfortunately for United, they weren’t the only suitor.
Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal have agreed a deal with Rennes worth in the region of €30 million (£26 million, $35.9 million), per Fabrizio Romano. “Approaches” from Premier League clubs were acknowledge in the report, yet Meïté is thought to have considered working under Simone Inzaghi in the Middle East as the “ideal step” in his development.
What Next for Man Utd?
Kobbie Mainoo was also unsettled under Ruben Amorim. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images
January is set to be a period of consolidation rather than expansion for United. The Red Devils dropped to a lowly eighth on this year’s footballing rich list. Without any European competition to call upon, the club’s revenues will only drop even further in the next set of accounts, limiting their spending power.
The financial might of Manchester United’s brand ensures that they will never be entirely cash-strapped—more than £200 million was splashed on just three forwards last summer—yet spending has to be checked at some point.
This stance infuriated Ruben Amorim. “I have the feeling that if we have to play a perfect 3-4-3 we need to spend a lot of money and need time,” the eternal dogmatist mused in the final dark days of his reign. “I’m starting to understand that is not going to happen so maybe I have to adapt.”
During what conspired to be his farewell press conference, Amorim took the bold approach of calling out his boss, Jason Wilcox. “Every department, the scouting department, the sports director needs to do their job,” he seethed. “I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”
Michael Carrick is in no position to make such demands—not that Amorim, with his desperately underwhelming record, was talking from a point of particular strength.
The interim coach has a clear objective, with at least one week to prepare for each of United’s remaining 15 matches with the players at his disposal. There has been continued talk of Kobbie Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee and even Bruno Fernandes leaving in January, but if there are no incomings, United are hardly in a position to willingly weaken their own hand.
Man Utd Summer 2026 Transfer Plans
Elliot Anderson could be available for the right price this summer. | Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The summer window is a different story. United did well to strengthen their attacking depth last year which is borne out in the numbers. The Red Devils rank second in the Premier League for actual non-penalty goals and expected goals, while they lead the division in shots and shots on target.
Much has been made of the need for a new midfielder. Casemiro will have to be replaced, with one of Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba most likely to fill that void at the base of midfield. It would be a risk to replace Bruno Fernandes, although this may be the last summer to cash in on the talismanic playmaker, who has left the door open to an exit after the World Cup.
Defence may be an area of more concern.
There is a theory from Cambridge graduate Gerry Gelade that a football team’s attack is defined by its strongest player, while the backline is beholden to the weakest player. There are plenty of weak links in United’s rearguard, which is all the more reason to divert funds towards this area of the pitch.
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