Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Manchester United are very clear that they will need to make some additions to their squad in January if they want to continue being competitive under Michael Carrick.
A left-back has been considered heavily, with Luke Shaw's future unclear beyond this season and no other natural options in the squad beyond him and youngster Harry Amass. The defence is also expected to be rebuilt in 2027, with the Red Devils planning to bring in at least one central defender too.
But prior to next summer, there will almost certainly be some changes in January after a lack of departures in the summer meant that some players were forced to stay put at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford was expected to leave the club for the most part after returning from Barcelona on loan, but he has been reintegrated into the squad under Carrick and become a regular in the attack.
However, another forward who was expected to be on the move was Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch star was heavily linked with a move to Serie A, but Fiorentina and Juventus instead signed different players, while Everton made a late move to bring him in on loan after their move for Folarin Balogun was on the verge of collapse, but it was too late for a deal to happen.
Zirkzee has now been relegated to a third-choice striker option under Carrick, with Benjamin Sesko the first-choice option and Matheus Cunha used centrally in every Premier League game so far due to injuries to the Slovenian.
So far this season, the Netherlands international has been restricted to just 70 minutes of action and it's clear that he isn't really in Carrick's plans for his squad.
A January move away looks inevitable, and would suit all parties, but Man Utd must ensure that they can find a replacement before letting him go, so as not to be left short of options for the second half of the season.
January is always a difficult time to do business, but Man Utd should be making a move to bring in Sunderland star Brian Brobbey if they get the chance, four-and-a-half years after trying the first time.
Type a player name in the box below to reveal each answer
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
Brobbey Would Be Big Zirkzee Upgrade
Sunderland's Brian Brobbey celebrates scoring their third goal with Daniel Ballard
In the summer of 2022, Erik ten Hag was keen to bring Brobbey to Old Trafford from RB Leipzig, but he instead opted to move to Ajax, and Man Utd instead brought in Antony and Wout Weghorst for their attack.
Brobbey then made the move to Sunderland last summer and helped fire them to Europa League qualification in their first season back in the top-flight, and earned him a spot in the World Cup squad with Holland ahead of Zirkzee. His performances even earned him the praise of United legend Roy Keane.
“That’s what top strikers do,” Keane said. “When the pressure is on, and the whole world is watching, they step up and make the difference. Brobbey has done exactly that today. Two goals in a World Cup match isn’t luck. It’s about movement, mentality, and being ruthless when the chances arrive. He looked hungry from the first minute. What impresses me most is that he didn’t hide.
“Some players disappear when expectations rise, but Brobbey wanted the ball, wanted responsibility, and kept causing problems for Sweden all game. People talk about the big stars all the time, but performances like this are how you announce yourself on the biggest stage in football. If the Netherlands are serious about winning this World Cup, they’ll need players like Brobbey producing moments like these. Right now, he looks like a man on a mission.”
A hat-trick for Brobbey against Man City this past weekend shows that he is ready to step up to the top level on a more regular basis, and his profile is also more similar to that of Sesko, which would help Man Utd stylistically.
A deal wouldn't be cheap, but if United are to let Zirkzee move on, then Brobbey would be the perfect replacement, and would see them secure a long-term target that also upgrades the squad.