Manchester United look set to complete the signing of Wout Weghorst from Burnley via Besiktas for the rest of the season, with the imposing Dutchman an unexpected short-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who left United before the World Cup ahead of a free transfer switch to Saudi Arabian League club Al Nassr.
January is traditionally a difficult time to do decent transfer business, with clubs aiming to reinforce to save themselves from relegation, or to give themselves a boost to put right a poor season or reinforce a title challenge, but doing so against a background of panic and hard-nose negotiations.
Nevertheless, United have become increasingly active in January. We take a look at five of their best winter transfers.
Louis Saha
In 2004, Manchester United spent £12.4 million to prise Saha from Fulham during United’s low period, when Alex Ferguson appeared to have lost his way to Jose Mourinho.
This was a time when Roy Keane’s effectiveness was diminishing, and the team of 1999 had seen Juan Sebastian Veron arrive but been unable to integrate him. David Beckham had moved to Real Madrid, but Cristiano Ronalo was more promise and potential than he was ruthless brilliance. The way forward for United was unclear.
Ultimately United would turn it around despite the arrival of the Glazers, but Saha was crucial to the formation of Ferguson’s next - and probably last - great United team. In a League Cup final against Wigan in 2006, Ruud van Nistelrooy was benched in favour of Saha, and while the team’s performance was enough to win the trophy, the significance rested in showing Ferguson the way forward.
Van Nistelrooy also left to join Real, Keane was already released after a row over Carlos Quieroz - and more - and Ferguson had decided to reinvent the side. With Rooney, Saha and Ronaldo, with Carlos Tevez and others to follow, Ferguson put the emphasis on pace up front, leading them to another Champions League and overhauling Liverpool’s record of league titles. Regularly held back by injuries and not always favoured in his time at Old Trafford up against bigger names, Saha played just 124 times, but his presence was vital to United’s reinvention.
Nemanja Vidic
Another crucial Ferguson signing in January was Serbian international Vidic from Spartak Moscow in 2005/6. He formed a partnership with Rio Ferdinand, supported first by Edwin van der Sar and then David de Gea, that would form the basis of United’s success.
Against big teams, United were confident that these defensive trios would keep even the best at bay and allow Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and others to find at least one goal to earn three points. It was not 100% effective, but 60% of the time, it worked every time, and that was enough to win Champions League and Premier League titles.
Patrice Evra
Evra arrived at the same time as Vidic - joining from Monaco - and when the pair made their debut against Manchester City, the left-back was taken off at half-time, such was the poor display he put in.
However, that proved to be little more than teething trouble as he quickly displaced Gabriel Heinze on the left and became a vital attacking outlet down the wing, betraying the experience he had accumulated as a forward and a winger earlier in his career.
Such was his reliability that towards the end of years he was clearly fatigued from overuse, but he was able to enjoy further success at Juventus in his thirties, and remains a fans’ hero at Old Trafford for the enduring relationship he built up at the club where he truly made his name.
Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United had expected to sign Erling Haaland for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January and were taken aback when he instead chose Borussia Dortmund as his stepping stone to bigger and better things. That led them to panic, looking to salvage their season and support their manager in the transfer market. There had been rumours of interest in Fernandes in the summer, and United were fortunate that they had a clear run at him in the winter of 2019/20.
The Portuguese playmaker was precisely what was needed for the team to keep them intact. He was a determined winner, content to upbraid players if they didn’t meet his standards, and he scored spectacularly and consistently from the moment he arrived at the club. The numbers he put in from midfield marked him out as the most inspirational and effective signing that United had made in years.
He might not always have been as effective since then, but he remains one of the club’s best performers, and made it far easier to countenance the exit of Paul Pogba when it became apparent he would run down his contract to depart for a second time. Under Erik ten Hag, he may even find a manager who can bring him a trophy.
Juan Mata
When Juan Mata arrived from Chelsea, taking a helicopter from London to Manchester, there were great expectations placed upon him. David Moyes was still in situ as Alex Ferguson’s replacement, but it was clear that things were going to be a struggle while he was in charge.
Mata arrived and he was not able to change the fate of Moyes and, indeed, he did not fundamentally change much of post-Fergie United. He did not lead a title charge, did not take United to a Champions League final, and he did not score too many goals.
But nevertheless he was one of the most consistent performers in the first team until he left in the summer. There were no complaints about his professionalism or his commitment, and he even won over Jose Mourinho after failing to impress him when they were both at Stamford Bridge. He spent his best years at some of United’s worst, but played almost 300 games and scored more than 50 goals, picking up a Europa League, FA Cup and League title along the way.
Wout Weghorst?
A Burnley striker, standing almost two metres tall, is expected to replace Cristiano Ronaldo for half a season, while hoping that both Jadon Sancho and Antony show why they cost £80m each, and score goals to make sure the club are not reliant on Anthony Martial as their only other No. 9. If he can do that, he may very well be the best of the lot.