Manchester United must buy in January to preserve European push

Manchester United do not often get accused of moving too slowly in the transfer market, but this January, there is a danger of paralysis dressed up as prudence.

Momentum, for once, is on their side. Two defeats in their last 12 fixtures has steadied a season that threatened to collapse before it ever found a narrative, and the European picture has sharpened into something tangible.

But dropped points against Wolves further highlights the decision facing United as a brutally simple one - buy now or risk another year watching midweek football on television for another season.

The recent uptick has not been flawless, nor particularly convincing, but it has been functional. United are grinding out results while rivals trip over themselves. Tottenham remain stuck in a cycle of chaos and contrition, Newcastle’s thin squad is creaking under the weight of expectations and Chelsea are still searching for coherence amid their endless churn.

Even Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, both punching above their historical weight, have looked unusually vulnerable in recent weeks. United do not need to be brilliant to muscle into Europe; they just need to be competent more often than not.

The problem, glaring and increasingly unavoidable, is midfield. Casemiro is dependable but ageing and, with his contract winding down, there is no long-term solution in waiting.

• Read next I The six high-profile Premier League stars who could be on the move in January

Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo being sidelined at the same time has stripped United of both invention and control, while Manuel Ugarte continues to look like a liability whenever United try to dominate possession.

This is not a midfield built to manage games, protect leads or impose tempo – all essential traits if you want to finish above half a dozen rivals separated by fine margins.

United can dream, of course. Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson would all transform the engine room, blending athleticism with intelligence and technical security. They would also, in the current market, cost something approaching £100 million each.

Which is why the more prosaic options make so much sense. James Garner may not quicken pulses at Old Trafford, but that says more about United’s recent recruitment failures than his ability.

A United academy graduate, Garner has matured into a composed, positionally disciplined midfielder at Everton, comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and capable of dictating rhythm. With his contract entering its final six months, the price would be modest, the risk minimal and the fit immediate. He would raise the floor of this squad overnight.

Ruben Neves, meanwhile, remains one of the more surreal by-products of football’s recent financial distortions. Still only in his late twenties, still an elite distributor from deep and still blessed with a passing range United sorely lack, Neves could be available for around £20 million from Al-Hilal.

The counter-argument is familiar: January is expensive, disruptive and rarely perfect. But so is another season without European football. The revenue lost, the prestige eroded, the recruitment hand weakened – those costs dwarf the discomfort of a mid-season purchase.

United have stumbled into an opportunity thanks to a rare run of form and the collective wobble of their rivals. Letting it pass in the name of caution would not be sensible economics. It would be self-sabotage.

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