Manchester United football director John Murtough has warned fans not to expect too much during the January transfer window.
United are under pressure to improve in the winter window following a difficult start to the season which has seen them record a negative goal difference after 17 Premier League games, finish bottom of their Champions League group and struggle for goals – only five teams in England’s top flight have managed fewer than their return of 18, with all five in the current bottom six.
However, fans expecting significant moves this winter may be disappointed as Murtough told a Fans’ Forum that the focus will be on finding moves for fringe players.
“Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy,” he said. “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.”
Among those heading for the exit door in January is midfielder Donny van de Beek, who is set to join Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after playing just 21 minutes of action across the first half of the season.
Murtough is also wary of the impact of Financial Fair Play regulations and promised greater balance between incomings and outgoings for United in future windows.
“We’ve seen this season that Financial Fair Play rules have real teeth, so we have to be very careful to ensure that we remain compliant, and we will,” he continued.
“But that means being really disciplined on spending going forward, with a balance between incomings and outgoings.”
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