It has been confirmed that Manchester United will not buy players in the January transfer window as Glazers prepare to hands off the club.
From January 1, 2022, the transfer market will reopen. Football players nearing the expiration of their contracts will be opened to contract talks with other clubs.
Manchester United were poised to be active in the transfer market after losing Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils terminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract after the latter slammed the club in a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
Erik Ten Hag has continually emphasized the need to close the vacuum left by Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.
Now, Manchester United will have to leap off the hurdle of paucity of funds as the Glazers prepare to hand off the club.
The Reds are reportedly bargaining for loan deals in the coming January transfer window, with the club ready to be sold out.
The decision to bank on loan deals has already backfired. A long-time target Gody Gakpo has been snatched by Premier League arch-rivals, Liverpool.
The Reds had floundered since having the 23-year-old on the club’s radar as a potential replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now, Liverpool have hijacked the deal in a swift move after just a few hours of midnight negotiations with PSV Eindhoven on December 26.
PSV Eindhoven took to their social media handle to confirm they have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the signing of Cody Gakpo by the Reds.
In a statement on Twitter, PSV wrote: ‘PSV and @LFC have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently, where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer.’
While Erik Ten Hag has been optimistic about being active in January to sign more players, he has been dealt a severe blow by the news that the Red Devils can only secure loan deals in the January transfer window.
Erik Ten Hag confirmed his readiness to sign more players when he took Manchester United to Spain for mid-season friendlies following the World Cup break.
When asked whether he will be ready to beef up the squad, he replied, ”Yes, but only when we find the right player. We do everything in our power. We are doing research on every opportunity, and we do everything we can if that opportunity is there to contract them.’
Now, according to reports, Manchester United will be left with only a meager uncertain sum and will not be able to buy players in the January transfer window due to the planned takeover of the club after the Glazers confirmed their sale decision.
Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer has reportedly negotiated with potential investors during a recent trip to Doha.
The takeover process is overseen by the Raine group, who are acting on the Glazers’ behalf and are looking to secure a sale in the first financial quarter of the year for around £6billion.
The Glazers finally decided to trigger a sales process after a significant base of United fans continued to push earnestly for them to leave the club after seventeen years of ownership.
The Glazers, who took over Manchester United in 2005, have suffered heavy backlash for their poor handling and mismanagement of the club.
They assumed the reins at Old Trafford through a leveraged £790million buyout which heaped a massive debt on United, including placing £525million worth of loans onto the brand of the club. By the end of 2021, they had reportedly racked up United’s debts to £495m.
They were on the frontline of club owners who pushed for the formation of the European Super League to boost their revenue. The plot failed, with their popularity among United fans dwindling.
The Glazers have reportedly drilled £1bn out of Manchester United as dividends, interests, costs, and fees throughout their 17-year ownership.
On the pitch, the Red Devils have fallen off the pecking order. They have not won the Premier League title in almost a decade and have not qualified for the Champions League on five occasions since 2013.
