(Football news) It’s no secret that the Manchester United squad needs an overhaul despite a section of the fanbase confidently claiming that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left the team “in a better state”. There are far too many underperforming players on high wages, disgruntled squad players who are unhappy with their playing time, experienced players who are past their prime and a few who will depart for free in the summer.

The Manchester United squad could see the likes of Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard, Donny Van De Beek, Dean Henderson, Eric Bailling and Anthony Martial leave the club in the foreseeable future and with as many as ten first team squad members looking to move to other pastures, there will undoubtedly be some gaping holes that will need to be filled.

Here are a few positions Manchester United should look to strengthen in the January transfer window.

1) Defensive midfielder

If there is one position that needs to be addressed urgently, it’s that Manchester United desperately need a defensive midfielder within their ranks. Throughout the season so far, the team has been overrun in midfield, even against lesser opposition and it’s evident that the Scott McTominay – Fred partnership is neither sustainable nor convincing. Nemanja Matic is the only recognized defensive midfielder in the squad but at the age of 33, the Serbian is past his prime and doesn’t have the legs to feature every week in the starting XI.

2) Striker

It might be hard to believe that a squad comprising of Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho would need another top quality addition but despite the names on paper, the circumstances have resulted in a need for a young and prolific striker in the Manchester United squad. Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial are expected to leave in the summer this year while Marcus Rashford’s form has been atrocious to say the least. Mason Greenwood hasn’t developed as well as the club would have hoped and lacks the decision making while Jadon Sancho’s start at Old Trafford has been less than impressive. The club cannot solely depend on a 37 year old Cristiano Ronaldo for goals and needs to be on the lookout for a prolific striker such as Erling Haaland if they have the ambition to win the highest honors again.

3) Centre-back

After signing Raphael Varane for a bargain deal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, few would have predicted that Manchester United would be in need of another centre-back the following year. However, Harry Maguire has failed to convince fans and critics with his performances this season while Victor Lindelof seems like a decent squad option but lacks the physical prowess to compete with the rigours of the Premier League. Eric Bailly cannot be depended on considering his injury record while Phil Jones simply has no place in the squad. Manchester United have conceded far too many goals this season and without a solid defensive partnership, they will never achieve silverware and compete against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

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