Man Utd were quiet in the winter transfer window, which closed at 7pm on Monday evening.
06:00, 03 Feb 2026
“Never say never,” Michael Carrick said when asked if Manchester United could complete any deals on transfer deadline day. January is usually a quiet month at Old Trafford – and not much has gone on again.
United have not made a signing and there have been no departures from the first-team squad. The most exciting United-related transfer story, interest in Antoine Semenyo, was effectively put to bed before the window opened.
The £62.5million needed to release Semenyo from his Bournemouth contract was bound to be met and Manchester City won the race for his signature. Semenyo ticked a lot of boxes at United and would have been a great addition, but the club did not react by turning to alternatives that weren’t quite right.
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The message from United sources after missing out on Semenyo was consistent: United were unlikely to make any signings in January because they are focused on long-term planning and their targets were not expected to be available in the winter window. That’s not what fans have wanted to hear, though.
Semenyo has scored four goals in five games for City. He is one of the most in-form forwards in the Premier League and would have provided a huge boost in the pursuit of Champions League football.
There is, however, a belief at United that the squad has enough quality to secure European qualification, and Ineos chiefs will be pleased when they look at the Premier League table as the window shuts.
Carrick has made a dream start to his interim role, winning three games on the bounce, a run that has seen United climb to fourth. The Reds are just 12 points adrift of Arsenal, despite the possibility of being dragged into the bottom half being touted in the final weeks of Ruben Amorim’s tenure.
Amorim’s sacking did not change much regarding transfers in the window. United had a plan and they have stuck by it. They have not acted because long-term targets were not available.
Carrick revealed at a press conference that he would be consulted on summer plans, though. When asked whether his opinion would be sought on a new midfield signing to replace Casemiro, Carrick said: “I’m certainly in this position to do that. And as I said, I think, making decisions for the club moving forward, whatever that may be, I’m fully committed to that.
“Naturally, as a midfielder, then there’s a big tendency towards that anyway, but taking that away from it and now being where I am in the position I am, certainly would be part of those conversations and moving forward because it’s important when we get the next steps right in terms of moving forward as a team and there’s a squad and putting the right things in place. So yeah, I’ll be part of that in the right way.”
Casemiro announcing that he would leave at the end of the season has been one of the biggest headlines. The Brazilian wanted to avoid speculation about his future during the remainder of the season, and his representatives can engage with potential suitors now that confirmation is out.
The announcement was classy, befitting of a player who has enjoyed a magnificent career, and Casemiro will try to bow out by steering the club back into the Champions League.
United splashed £215million in the summer window and were not in a position to sign a Casemiro replacement, who could cost in the region of £100million, in the winter window.
Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are all admired by United, but they will not be prised away cheaply from their respective clubs. It will be fascinating to see how the summer window unfolds.
Although Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee were marked down for possible loan exits, they will continue to contribute at United for the remainder of the season. Mainoo’s situation has improved since Carrick’s appointment. The youngster was hopeful of leaving on loan before Amorim was sacked.
Roma were interested in signing Zirkzee, but United did not seriously entertain their enquiry. “United said no quite clearly a couple of weeks ago, and they have not changed their minds,” said Roma’s football director.
Tyrell Malacia was ready to travel to Turkey on deadline day, but the plug was pulled on his move to the Super Lig by Jason Wilcox, who decided Malacia was needed at United after Patrick Dorgu’s injury.
Wilcox told Malacia on Monday morning that he would be needed as part of the first-team squad for the rest of the season. The Dutchman will be frustrated at missing out on a move away again.
The academy has seen the most activity. The Manchester Evening News revealed that Sam Mather was set to sign for Turkish club Kayserispor, which was United’s first deal of the window.
The MEN were the first to report Rhys Bennett’s move to Fleetwood Town, while Joe Hugill is the only other academy export to have left the club on a permanent transfer in the window.
United have banked nominal fees for Mather, Bennett and Hugill, but the club have started to insist on inserting sell-on clauses to benefit from future success. The challenge for Stephen Torpey, head of the academy, is to start obtaining higher transfer fees for youngsters when they leave.
Torpey has overseen the club’s loan deals since Jonny Evans stepped back from his role as head of loans and pathways in December. Sources with knowledge of the situation indicated the pace of the role was too slow for Evans.
There were loan departures confirmed on deadline day. Ethan Wheatley’s move to Bradford City was formally announced, while James Scanlon and Jacob Devaney joined Swindon Town and St. Mirren respectively for their first taste of senior football.
There is no rush to confirm Sekou Kone’s move to Lausanne-Sport because the Swiss transfer window shuts on February 15 – the expectation is that Kone will stay with Lausanne-Sport for the second half of the campaign.
Academy transfer activity was as exciting as it got in the final hours of the window.
