Manchester United reportedly willing to invest in players to support Carrick, with Neves as a target! Amorin’s release clause must be fully met.

According to the UK’s Guardian, the search for Manchester United’s interim head coach is drawing to a close, with Carrick expected to be officially appointed on Tuesday. The report also states that the club is prepared to provide adequate financial backing for the 44-year-old coach, but any new signings depend on identifying suitable players to strengthen the squad.

Carrick is expected to bring Jonathan Woodgate, his assistant from Middlesbrough, to join him at Manchester United. Woodgate, who played for Real Madrid, Leeds United, and Newcastle United, served as a coach at Middlesbrough for three years. Fletcher, who took over as caretaker coach after Ruben Amorim’s departure, may also retain a role in the new coaching staff. Carrick’s brother, Graeme, who also worked with him at Middlesbrough, could potentially join Manchester United as well.

Carrick’s desire to sign players comes with conditions. The Guardian reports that any new recruits must fit the club’s long-term development plan and be reasonably priced. Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves remains a potential target. His contract with Al Hilal expires this summer, so the fee might be as low as £15 million. Manchester United emphasizes that the club has the funds to support signings during Carrick’s tenure, but there is no obligation to buy.

On Monday, Neves scored in the Saudi Professional League, helping his team overturn a 3-1 victory against Al Nassr, demonstrating he is still in good form. He has recently been linked with a return to the Red Devils, but his high wages are considered a major obstacle to a move back to European football.

If Manchester United decides to sell current players during the winter transfer window, bringing in a new midfielder could become feasible. Turkish media have consistently reported that Galatasaray is still negotiating with Manchester United to sign Ugarte in January. The Turkish league leaders hope to secure him initially on loan with an option to buy.

Journalist Yakup Çınar stated: “Galatasaray continues discussions with Ugarte, and fellow Uruguayans Muslera and Torreira are also involved in talks about the player joining Galatasaray. The club aims to sign him on a loan deal with a purchase option to ensure Ugarte’s permanent transfer away from Manchester United.”

Another player long linked with a January move to Manchester United, Conor Gallagher, has now confirmed his destination; he will fly to London to undergo a medical with Tottenham Hotspur. The Atletico Madrid midfielder was initially expected to join Aston Villa, but Spurs successfully intercepted the deal. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano commented: “Gallagher to Spurs, here we go! The player informed Atletico he wants to join Spurs, who will pay a €40 million transfer fee, beating Villa. Villa also reached an agreement with Atletico today, but the player chose not to join them, forcing Emery to give up.”

Amorin’s release clause may impact Manchester United’s finances. According to “Jingqi Net,” after signing Amorim from Sporting CP in November 2024, the Red Devils contracted him until 2027. At that time, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos management team entrusted him with significant responsibilities, and the contract contained no clauses allowing Manchester United to terminate at a reduced compensation. This means the club must pay the full remaining salary for the one and a half years left on his contract, nearly £10 million.

So far, Manchester United’s only winter window transaction has been the official departure of academy winger Sam Mather. The 21-year-old English player has formally joined Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor on a two-and-a-half-year deal. Manchester United waived the transfer fee but retained a series of clauses including first refusal and a percentage of any future transfer fee.

Mather said farewell to the club via social media: “My 14 years at Manchester United have come to an end. I want to thank all the coaches and players who helped me become who I am today, both as a person and a player. I will always cherish my time here and wish the club all the best. From my perspective, it’s time to move forward, and I can’t wait to start my professional career.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United have recalled striker Ethan Whittall, who was previously loaned to Northampton Town. He joined the League One club in August, and the Red Devils consider his loan spell successful but want to find better development opportunities for him. Northampton currently sits 20th in League One, and Whittall hopes to join a higher-ranked team or even move up to a Championship club.

Manchester United includes clauses in every loan agreement for academy players that allow them to terminate the loan early, enabling the club to recall these players during the January window if necessary.