Five players Manchester United should sign in January

After a far from successful Summer transfer window, David Moyes will be keen to right the wrongs in January as he looks to stop the rot that currently sees them slipping ever so farther from a top four spot. Anybody who has a pair of eyes would have told you that United lack creativity in midfield. But, unfortunately Moyes didn’t see it that way and although he signed Fellaini, the midfield wasn’t reinforced well enough. That will once again be the area of concern in January. Having said that, let us look at five players who United could practically sign in January to reinvigorate a squad lacking in quality.

Everton Ribeiro

The first piece of good news for Manchester United all year might well be the fact that the reigning Brazilian Player of the Year, Everton Ribeiro prefers a move to Manchester United. The 24-year-old versatile attacking midfielder can certainly be that X factor that Manchester United have been craving for. The Brazilian is excellent on the ball and has a bullet of a left foot capable of not just ripping the net out with finishes, but also picking the perfect pass and playing it on for a team-mate. With Ribeiro professing his wish of playing for United, Moyes would do well to snap up the talented Brazilian playmaker who might well be available for as little as £8m.

Xherdan Shaqiri

United don’t currently have too many in-form wingers at their disposal. Adnan Januzaj has been the sole shining light when it comes to their wingers, with Nani and Young either injured or out of form for most of the season and Valencia having to double up as full back far too often. With that being the case, given Bayern Munich’s embarrassment of riches in the attacking department, their Swiss winger Shaqiri might just be what the doctor ordered for United. The 22-year-old would fit in perfectly at a club renowned for its wingers and will also see far more regular playing time, which he would be looking with the World Cup just around the corner.

Fabio Coentrao

The Portuguese left back almost joined United in the summer, and it looks as though he might just be tempted to move to Manchester United in January if Moyes goes back for him. With the Portuguese fullback unable to nail down a place in the first team thanks to Marcelo’s fine form, he might well push a move to Manchester, where the lure of first-team football might just be enough with the World Cup in the summer. And although Ancelotti has reiterated that Real Madrid aren’t ready to do any business in January, given the history between the two clubs, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he does move before the end of the month.

Yohan Cabaye

The Frenchman was reportedly on the way out of Newcastle in the summer, before Pardew intervened and he ended up staying put. And his performances so far this season has been nothing short of sublime. Playing as a central midfielder, he has been pulling the strings and has been one of the major reasons for Newcastle’s upturn in form, which currently sees them challenging for a Europa League spot. The truth is that if Moyes is looking for a readymade replacement, they don’t come much better than Cabaye, who wants out and has plenty of Premier League pedigree and might just be persuaded to join United in January.

Nemanja Matic

Such is the lack of quality in Manchester United’s central midfield that Phil Jones, a center back by trade has had to fill in, on more than one occasion. Injuries to Anderson and Fellaini mean that Moyes has little to choose from in the center of the park and the Benfica man might just what he is looking for to plug the hole in the middle of midfield. Ever since he left Chelsea, Matic has been one of Europe’s outstanding defensive midfielders and with United having sent plenty of scouts out to watch Benfica play over the past month and a half, it looks as though he might well be on his way to Manchester with Benfica out of the Champions League as well.