According to Camel.live journalists, Manchester United is set to reject all player departure applications in the January winter transfer window, due to the expected squad shortage.
Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee have had limited playing time this season, but both are expected to play key roles during the Christmas fixture schedule. Since Mbeumo and Amad Diallo are almost certain to represent their respective countries at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Red Devils will lose these two influential attackers in December, while right-back Noussair Mazraoui will also play for host nation Morocco.
This year’s Africa Cup of Nations kicks off before Christmas, and Mbeumo (Cameroon) and Amad (Ivory Coast) are likely to play for their national teams on Christmas Eve. The group stage runs until New Year’s Eve, with the final scheduled for January 18th, while the winter transfer window closes at 7 PM on February 2nd. Although Manchester United successfully delayed Andre Onana’s reporting time for the 2023-24 Africa Cup of Nations (which kicked off in mid-January) — thanks to the tournament coinciding with the team’s winter break and Cameroon being eliminated in the round of 16 — the goalkeeper only missed one match.
The absence of top scorer Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui will leave United without three key options on the right flank. Since joining from Brentford for £65 million, the 26-year-old Doku has scored 5 goals and formed a cohesive right-flank partnership with Amad in manager Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
The 21-year-old Mainoo has not started a Premier League game since May, with his only start this season coming in the August EFL Cup defeat to fourth-tier side Grimsby Town. Despite United rejecting the midfielder’s loan request before the summer transfer window closed, he is still the only one of the five midfield options who has not featured in the league. The £36.5 million Zirkzee has only played 90 minutes this season (across 5 appearances), and his last start for United dates back to April.
The 24-year-old Zirkzee suffered a hamstring injury six months ago and missed the entire pre-season, but his chances of getting regular game time at United remain slim. Amorim does not view him as a pure center-forward; in 4 of the 9 league games Zirkzee was available for this season, United used a strikerless formation featuring Doku, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount.
