Manchester United fans in the Football Transfer Tavern are in agreement their weekend did not get off to the best of starts, having watched their side scrape to a dour 0-0 draw away to League Two Cambridge United on Friday evening.
Days after having been announced the second richest club in world football, United failed to score – or indeed create many clear cut chances – against a side struggling in mid-table of England’s fourth tier.
High calibre forwards such as Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao missed the best opportunities on what was a night to forget for Louis van Gaal and perhaps further highlighted the need for new additions this month.
The Red Devils have been quiet in the transfer market up until this point having spent close to £200 million in the past 12 months.
But there could yet be some surprises sprung before the close of the deadline on February 2nd. After all, who could forget Paul Scholes making a dramatic return to Old Trafford in 2012 perhaps?
Here are five potential surprise deals to look out for at Old Trafford.
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Click on Louis van Gaal to reveal 5 ‘surprise’ deals Manchester United could seal this January.
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William Carvalho
A defensive midfielder is believed to be high on the list of transfer priorities for Louis van Gaal whilst the name on everyone’s lips is Dutch star Kevin Strootman.
Many expected a deal for the Roma midfielder to have been tied up by now but there has been an unexplained delay which leads you to wonder whether there has been a problem.
That could well see United turning their attentions to Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho.
The 22-year-old is the next bright prospect to emerge in Portugal and United have been linked with a £35 million move for some time now.
Nemanja Vidic
It is three years since Paul Scholes made a shock return to Manchester United, six months having left the club. Is history about to repeat itself in 2015?
Nemanja Vidic only left the club for Inter Milan in the summer but has failed to settle in Italy during his first six months.
Reports suggest he is eager to return to Old Trafford, and United would be open to making the deal happen.Their defensive struggles this season makes you wonder exactly why he was ever allowed to leave in the first place.
Ron Vlaar
United have left it later than many might have expected in their search for a new centre back. And with Ron Vlaar in the final six months of his contract at Aston Villa, a cut-price deal for the Dutchman may be the best United can manage in the time of the transfer window that is left.
Vlaar is a player van Gaal knows very well from his time in charge of the Netherlands and will provide a decent short term solution for the remainder of the season until the long-term answer becomes available.
This may well be a case of United waiting as long as possible in order to complete the cheapest deal for the defender.
Fabian Delph
From one Aston Villa star to another in the form of Villains midfielder Fabian Delph. The former Leeds United man finds himself in an identical position to his captain at Villa Park with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Manchester United have been linked with a move in the past whilst reports today suggest Villa could sell for £4 million before the close of the window.
If United have left it too late for the likes of Carvalho and Strootman, a cut-price deal for Delph may well be the best they can manage in the time that is left.
Paul Pogba
Then again, let us not forget Manchester United have just been announced the world’s second richest club. If there is to be one massive deal that takes everyone by surprise this transfer window, it will surely concern the Red Devils.
Reports continue to link them with a move for ‘the one that got away’ – Paul Pogba. Real Madrid are said to be planning a £71 million bid for the Juventus star which could see Manchester United stirred into action, heralding the possibility of a titanic transfer battle before the deadline looms.
