Following the conclusion of the January transfer window on Monday evening, Manchester United now know where they stand ahead of the remainder of the season.
The Reds failed to add to the signings of Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu on deadline day, meaning head coach Ruben Amorim must work with what he has available to him between now and the end of the campaign.
The United head coach desperately wanted to sign a striker on deadline day but the club was unable to commit to a deal that would have made sense for all parties. They had considered attempting to sign Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku or Mathys Tel of Bayern Munich on loan.
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Instead, United have prioritised summer spending, with a new No.9 expected to be a leading target ahead of the 2025/26 season. It means the Reds are now very thin on the ground inside the final third.
Having allowed Marcus Rashford, Ethan Wheatley and Antony to leave, United are very light in forward areas. They have also lost a key fixture at the back in the form of Lisandro Martinez.
It means Amorim could find himself having to rely on the same faces more than he would like to get United through to the end of the season. Looking at the current landscape of the squad, the United boss does not have an awful lot of scope to make changes to what could become a core group of 20 to make up the squad on a matchday.
Despite his questionable performances and errors in recent matches, Andre Onana is expected to continue as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. He has started every Premier League fixture since arriving from Inter Milan ahead of the start of the 2023/24 season.
The loss of Martinez to a reported ACL injury means he will be missing for the rest of the season, forcing Amorim into a defensive reshuffle. Leny Yoro is expected to become a long-term operator in the right-sided centre-back berth and Harry Maguire is most comfortable in the centre, meaning Matthijs de Ligt could be the most likely candidate to fill the void Martinez has vacated at left centre-back.
However, Luke Shaw is closing in on a return from his latest injury setback and he could be a realistic option to start on the left of the back-three. He has looked comfortable as a centre-back in the past, offering expert ball-playing credentials, but his fitness, of course, is his biggest problem.
The addition of Dorgu from Lecce should see him solve United's left wing-back troubles, with the Dane expected to become a long-term solution to that particular problem. His presence could also convince Amorim to reintegrate Shaw into the team at centre-back.
On the opposite flank, United have a lot more scope, but Amad has been the best in the right wing-back berth since the team's transition to a 3-4-2-1 system. He offers United balance by playing in that role and is at his creative best.
In the centre of midfield, Manuel Ugarte is a shoo-in as the defensive-minded operator. Bruno Fernandes is a logical fit next to him amid Kobbie Mainoo's encouraging performance in a more advanced role against FCSB in the Europa League last week.
With Mainoo occupying one of the two No.10 roles, the other is likely to be gobbled up by Alejandro Garnacho after he was retained beyond the deadline. He has slowly been adapting to his new role under Amorim and the Argentine has the ability to make things happen.
United fans would have hoped the final place in the starting XI post-window would be occupied by a new signing amid Rasmus Hojlund's and Joshua Zirkzee's ongoing struggles. However, the club failed to bolster their attacking options and Amorim is likely to continue rotating between the aforementioned duo for the rest of the season.
Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is poised to continue as Onana's deputy and take his place on the bench. Missing out on spots in what could become United's strongest XI, defenders Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui will provider defensive cover.
The loser of the battle to replace Martinez as the left-sided centre-back will also have to make do with a place on the bench. However, Amorim's rotation policy could often see the likes of De Ligt and Shaw rotated.
Amid their lack of forward options, the majority of the remainder of United's bench will have to be filled with midfielders, with Christian Eriksen, Toby Collyer and Casemiro still on the books following the conclusion of the window. Mason Mount is due back from injury soon and he could also offer cover for the centre of midfield and one of the No.10 positions.
The final place on the bench will be claimed by Zirkzee or Hojlund, depending on who Amorim elects as his starting striker from game to game.
United's strongest matchday squad:
Starting XI: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Amad, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mainoo, Garnacho, Hojlund.
Substitutes: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Dalot, De Ligt, Casemiro, Eriksen, Collyer, Mount, Zirkzee.
