Manchester United are set for a quiet end to the January transfer window with their deadline day activity set to focus on securing exits for some of their academy graduates.
The window closes at 7pm today but after three successive wins under Michael Carrick there is a relaxed mood around Old Trafford, especially with the squad in a stronger position than it was at the start of the month.
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Joshua Zirkzee returned to the subs bench for the 3-2 win against Fulham on Sunday and he is set to stay at the club despite being linked with a loan move to Roma earlier in January. Manuel Ugarte will also remain at United after loan interest from Europe earlier in the window, but both players could be heading for the exit door in the summer.
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Carrick is only without Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu at the moment, but De Ligt and Mount are both set to return in the short-term. Dorgu will be sidelined for more than two months with a hamstring injury.
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On Friday, Carrick hinted at the possibility of late business being done but that is now unlikely, with United closing the gap to Aston Villa and Manchester City after the weekend’s results.
“To be honest, I think we’re just working through it,” Carrick said on Friday. “Never say never of course, because a lot can happen and situations can be thrown up. Sometimes it’s in our control, sometimes it’s maybe something that’s out of our control that we’ve got to deal with.
“I’m pretty calm. I think we’ve shown what we’re capable of doing as a team and we’ll just have to have to see what the next few days bring, but I’m definitely calm about it.”
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A failed bid to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth before the window opened has been the highlight of the window and the £65million that could have gone on that transfer has been saved for the summer instead.
United insist they would only move in January if a long-term target became available and after Semenyo opted to join Manchester City, that was never likely to happen.
There could still be some activity at United today. Striker Ethan Wheatley is set to have a loan move to League One promotion hopefuls Bradford City confirmed.
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Centre-back Tyler Fredricson, 20, is set to stay at Old Trafford after picking up a calf injury that will rule him out for a month. He has made four appearances for United, including in the Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town and the Boxing Day win against Newcastle this season. But the switch to a back four and Harry Maguire’s return from injury has dropped Fredricson down the pecking order. There was interest from the Championship and Belgium’s top flight in Fredricson but injury means he will now be staying at the club.
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United are hoping to find loan moves for other players who have returned from loans this month. Habeeb Ogunneye, 20, has trained with the senior squad since returning from League Two Newport County, but could go out again.
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Goalkeeper Elyh Harrison is back from a stint at Shrewsbury Town and defenders Louis Jackson and Sonny Aljofree have returned from Notts County and Solihull Moors. Striker Joe Hugill was recalled from a loan spell with Barnet but has since joined Scottish Premiership outfit Kilmarnock on a permanent deal, while Rhys Bennett has signed for Fleetwood.
Highly-rated midfielder Sekou Kone, 19, has spent the month training with Swiss side Lausanne-Sport and played in a friendly victory against Neuchâtel Xamax. Lausanne are owned by Ineos so have close links with United, but with the transfer window in Switzerland open until February 16, there is no rush to make a decision, although he is expected to join on loan.
Left-back Tyrell Malacia has pushed to leave in this window, five months before his contract expires, but he is expected to stay and leave on a free transfer this summer.