3 players Man Utd should have been targeting in January

Manchester United appear set to continue struggling on with the same crop of players as they approach the end of the January transfer window without a single signing.

We know money is tight – 90min reported early in the window that the focus would be on outgoings – but the likes of Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Hannibal Mejbri have all left on loan and United have done little to add to their squad ahead of the deadline.

Here are three players United should have been looking at this winter.

United’s criteria for their next striker is clear. They want an experienced, cheap option to dovetail with Rasmus Hojlund and ease the pressure on the £72m man’s shoulders.

Across Europe, there are few strikers who present better value for money that Stuttgart hitman Serhou Guirassy. The 27-year-old, who has 17 goals in just 14 Bundesliga games this year, has a release clause of around £15m in his contract.

Claims that Guirassy is a little flavour-of-the-month overlook his solid track record. He’s undoubtedly enjoying his best run of form right now but Guirassy bagged 27 goals in three full seasons in Ligue 1 and is now on 28 in 18 months in Germany. It might not be the flashiest return, but United don’t need it to be. They just need somebody who can be trusted to put the ball in the back of the net.

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Look, obviously Amadou Onana is too expensive for United to sign outright this winter. Reports have valued him at close to £60m and, considering United saw Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as their dream striker target, it’s clear that sort of budget was off the table.

However, considering Everton’s well-known financial issues, would they have been tempted by a loan deal that included either an option or an obligation? We know United will be good for the money in the summer once INEOS are installed, and an obligation to buy would allow Everton to include the funds in this season’s budgets. The sort of deal that might have worked for everyone.

Onana is a powerful defensive midfielder who thrives on physical battles, recovering the ball and bullying his way forwards with a surprising physical grace. That sort of…