The transfer landscape that awaits United and every other club when the next window finally opens is hugely uncertain.
Perhaps, the only certainty is that they won’t be signing Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, but that aside, no one quite knows what rules will be applied when deals start being done again.
The worldwide pandemic has had massive financial implications on the entire football pyramid and United aren’t immune from that. Yes, they’d like to sign Jadon Sancho – his name’s at the top of the list – but talk of a £100m fee just doesn’t seem likely. In the current circumstances, it’s difficult to make an argument for spending that sort of money on anyone.
That doesn’t mean a deal won’t happen but the negotiations around such mega-purchases could now involve player swaps, players-plus-cash, or sell-on clauses that provide greater protection and potential revenue to both parties, when huge transfer fees are impossible to pay.
So what about the loan market and the players that United own, but who are playing for other clubs? Well, after finding an agreement to keep Ighalo, it would be rather inconsistent for them not to allow their players to remain where they are, at least until this season wraps up.No official decision has been made as yet but it seems more than likely that Dean Henderson, Alexis Sanchez, and Chris Smalling will all get to stay put at Sheffield United, Inter Milan and AS Roma respectively. With a fully fit squad to call upon, Solskjaer has no real reason to bring them back.