Ruben Amorim told significant January transfer can be made as clarity arrives over January transfer budget

Manchester United are well placed to spend big money in the January transfer window, according to a well-respected football financial expert, and with new Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim reported to have green-lit the signing of a powerful 6ft 4in defensive colossus.

The Portuguese coach is due to arrive in the northwest on Monday afternoon to begin work as the new Manchester United manager – the sixth permanent appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure – but the first by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his fellow footballing masterminds. Inheriting a side that sits a lowly 13th in the Premier League, supporters will hope the only way is up under their new 39-year-old coach and two-time Primeira Liga title winner.

However, fears that the new manager will not be able to sign new players in January have been quickly played down by former Manchester City financial advisor, Stefan Borson, who claims that despite the costs needed to appoint Amorim and pay off the sacked Erik ten Hag, money will be made available for team strengthening in the winter window.

Borson told Football Insider: “You don’t need that much space to be able to do a deal in January, almost for any player.

“For the sake of discussion, if you think about signing a £60m player on a five-year contract, that would have a £12m-a-year amortisation impact, plus the wages.

“But if it’s only for six months of a financial year and you buy them on 1 January, you are only going to have six months of his costs in the financial year that runs until 30 June.

“All of a sudden, the £12m of amortisation costs becomes £6m and the wages are only half of his annual wage, so it probably wouldn’t cost much more on the profit and loss for a £60m player than £10m all in during this current financial year.

“It’s just not that significant, especially in the context of being able to potentially sell a young player before 30 June to balance the books.”

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While Amorim is yet to receive a visa to officially start work at Carrington, the paperwork is expected to arrive before the week is out and the new boss will spend the week chatting with interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy and assessing those players still left behind not on international duty.

In the meantime, Amorim has addressed claims he will try and immediately start drilling into United a way to get them playing in a 3-4-3 formation.

“I know how I am going to play in the beginning because you have to start with a structure that you know and then you will adapt with the players that you have,” he told the Portuguese media during his farewell presser as Sporting boss following Sunday’s 4-2 win at Braga.

“Injuries or no injuries, what kind of players, the abilities to defend, to attack. I will discover that in the next few weeks.

“We don’t have a lot of time to train so I have to show something that I know very well. So you can take whatever you want from that question.”

One man who could help bring such a formation to life having been used to playing in a three-man defensive line is Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah.

The Germany international is a free agent next summer and eligible to speak to interested overseas sides from January 1 – just 51 days from now.

According to Fichajes, United have already made contact with the 28-year-old’s agent, Pini Zahavi, to make clear their wishes to bring the 6ft 4in star to Old Trafford and with Amorim on board with a prospective move.

And while it’s claimed United are strongly in the mix for his signature, they will have to beat off competition from Barcelona for his signature in 2025.

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Tah though isn’t the only player being linked with a move to Old Trafford amid strong reports in France that claim the Red Devils are ready to make a huge play to prise Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku to the northwest.

Nkunku joined the Blues in a high-profile move from RB Leipzig in 2023 but saw his opening season in London wrecked by injuries.

However, this season, he has already made 16 appearances, scoring 10 goals.

But with most of those coming in cup competitions and Europe, it’s revealed Nkunku is feeling frustrated by his lack of minutes in the Premier League – and with United well placed to strike if his situation does not change.

Elsewhere, United are also being linked with a Norwegian midfielder compared to Martin Odegaard after seemingly becoming convinced he would be an ideal fit for Amorim’s style.

And finally, one of United’s more recent signings, Matthijs de Ligt, has expressed his wishes that interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy be given a place among Amorim’s coaching staff at Old Trafford.

The legendary striker has won three of his four matches in charge of the Red Devils, drawing the other, and De Ligt believes he needs retaining having explained how he has helped lift flagging morale at Old Trafford.

Amorim’s top 10 most expensive signings at Sporting Lisbon

Showing he has a real eye for a player, Amorim has made some eye-catching signings for Sporting, while not breaking the bank.

Indeed, a profit has already been turned over for Manuel Ugarte’s sale to PSG in summer 2023, with the player of course since going on to sign for United.

Beyond that, Morten Hjulmand and Viktor Gyokeres arrived for pretty sizeable fees from a Sporting CP perspective, though the pair would both command significantly more were they to leave in 2025.

United will hope his eye for a player and that ability to transform potential talent into top-class stars will stand both them and he in good stead at Old Trafford.

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