Manchester United’s mid-season transfer window in 2026 will not be remembered as very noteworthy.
When we look back at January 2026, the focus will be on the head coach change from Ruben Amorim to Michael Carrick, with Darren Fletcher in-between. The hectic month in the dugout has distracted from the lack of new faces coming in.
There is still a lot to break down from the past month, and so we are looking at the winners and losers from the past few weeks…
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Winners
Kobbie Mainoo: At the start of December it looked like Kobbie Mainoo would be forced to seek a loan move to revitalise his career and his World Cup hopes.
Mainoo ended January locked in as a Manchester United starter, back where he should be, having reclaimed his place in the starting XI.
The trigger for Mainoo’s turnaround was Ruben Amorim’s sacking at the start of January, with the manager making no secret that he did not value him as a starter.
Mainoo has been busy proving Amorim wrong, and has strengthened his own case for a new improved contract.
Manuel Ugarte: Manchester United were rumoured to be interested in signing a midfielder in the transfer window, but ultimately decided not to move.
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United’s decision not to sign a midfielder benefited Mainoo, but it also saved Manuel Ugarte in the short-term too.
If a new midfielder was signed, he would have been shunted down the pecking order further, or forced to seek a mid-season exit.
Ugarte has been poor this season and United still need to upgrade on him in the summer, but he will be glad not to have to uproot immediately, and can try and salvage his season.
United’s six late loanees: Manchester United agreed six loans late in the transfer window that have given young talent a new chance to shine.
Toby Collyer and Ethan Wheatley had new loan deals re-arranged, while James Scanlon, Gabriele Biancheri, Jacob Devaney and Sekou Kone all secured new moves.
That late quartet are each embarking on the first loan moves of their careers, and this is a big step forward in their development. Credit to United for making it happen.
Ineos: Manchester United did not want to be making mid-season signings, preferring to keep the money for the summer window.
Events could easily have changed this. What if Michael Carrick had got off to a desperate start, and United needed to throw money at the situation to get back into the Champions League race?
What if there was an injury crisis and United were forced to find a stop-gap solution?
Ineos will be feeling thankful that they were not forced into a panic move, with Carrick settling everything down by leading a largely healthy United squad to three successive wins.
Could the decision to ‘do nothing’ backfire? Perhaps. But with only 14 games remaining, United should be confident the squad has enough to achieve a top five finish.
Man Utd chose NOT to make any signings mid-season… Are you worried this is a mistake?
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Losers
Ruben Amorim: There is only one place to start, with Ruben Amorim emerging as the biggest loser of Manchester United’s 2026.
Amorim lost the battle at the start of the window to get Ineos to shell out for Antoine Semenyo and his high wage demands. He ended up signing for City.
This was the final straw for Amorim as his frustrations came to the boil, and he ended up sacked just one game into the New Year.
United decided Amorim was no longer worth backing in the transfer market, and his dismissal has breathed new life into a season that was at risk of stagnating.
Tyrell Malacia warms up for Man Utd
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Tyrell Malacia: The last remaining member of United’s ‘bomb squad’, Tyrell Malacia has failed to land a move for the second successive window.
It did not appear that there was any serious interest in Malacia until speculation emerged on deadline day, by which point it was too late.
United decided to keep Malacia as emergency cover after an injury to Patrick Dorgu.
That was a pragmatic choice from Ineos, but Malacia’s chances of playing are slim and he will have to relaunch his career in the summer.
Joshua Zirkzee: There was heavy speculation entering the window that Joshua Zirkzee could make a return to Serie A.
United indicated a lack of willingness to entertain a loan deal, and there were no permanent offers to test the club’s resolve.
Zirkzee’s recent brief injury has stalled his progress at United, and while he could still have a bit-part to play, it is unlikely to be enough to get him back into the Netherlands World Cup squad.
Harry Amass: Manchester United re-arranged Harry Amass‘ loan, and the change in fortunes has not benefited the youngster.
Amass’ loan expired after January 4, his last game for Sheffield Wednesday. A fortnight later he signed on loan with Norwich.
The teenager made one appearance as a substitute on January 26, before picking up a hamstring injury in training.
Bad luck? Yes. But it is quite easy to now conclude that United should have just allowed Amass to continue where he was already playing regularly.
Which loan move are you most optimistic about being a success?
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