Manchester United targeting double January signing to recover worrying start to campaign: report

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 3, 2023.
(Image credit: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United have started the 2023/24 Premier League season poorly, picking up just six points from their opening five games, with the pressure continuing to mount on Erik ten Hag.

A 3-1 loss at home to Brighton on Saturday has exacerbated the issues at Old Trafford, and Manchester United are already looking at adding new signings to the squad to give Ten Hag the best possible chance of success.

Despite bringing in seven new players in the summer transfer window, Manchester United officials have already identified two new players they need to bring to the club in January to arrest their issues and improve their chances of silverware in the second half of the season. 

Manchester United target Serge Gnabry of München in action during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Allianz Arena on September 15, 2023 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)

Gnabry could be heading to Old Trafford in January (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Manchester United are readying a bid for Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, while Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez is also of interest to the Red Devils. 

Gnabry is expected to be available for around £52m in January, with his contract running out in 2026. Transfermarkt values him at £47m, too, meaning Manchester United won't be paying massively over what they're expected to.

Though the German international prefers starting from the left, he is just as capable playing on the right and would help address a position that has proven problematic for Manchester United in recent seasons. With Antony away from Manchester and Jadon Sancho not training with the first team, Facundo Pellistri is the only senior right winger at the club currently.  

Manchester United target Jose Maria Gimenez of Atletico de Madrid reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Valencia CF and Atletico Madrid at Estadio Mestalla on September 16, 2023 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Gimenez is also of interest to United (Image credit: Getty Images)

Gimenez, meanwhile, is in the final two years of his contract at Atletico Madrid and could help shore up the Manchester United defence with his desire to stop goals his priority. 

The Uruguayan only made his return from a knee injury at the weekend against Valencia by coming off the bench for the final 30 minutes, but the 28-year-old has been a reliable player for Diego Simeone and would offer Erik ten Hag more options in the centre of his back four.

Valued at £30m by Transfermarkt, Manchester United will face competition from Chelsea for Gimenez, however. 

More Manchester United stories

Erik ten Hag says that Jadon Sancho is 'not important' right now, as the fallout from their disagreement lingers.

Sancho leaving on loan in January seems like a strong possibility, and United could make a big attacking signing of their own: the 'new Maradona' has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, £72m summer arrival Rasmus Hojlund has been compared to former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner...

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.