INEOS plot mid-season swoop for ‘extraordinary’ Bundesliga ace, there’s a ‘big chance’ the clubs do business

After successfully acquiring a promising successor to Erik ten Hag, Manchester United chiefs can now turn their attention back to the squad and how they plan to bolster Ruben Amorim’s options in January.

The winter window has, in recent years, been relatively bleak at Old Trafford, with Ten Hag largely reduced to shopping on the loan market for the last two seasons.

However, the forthcoming window will mark the first mid-season one of INEOS’ tenure, given that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stake was only ratified by the Premier League in February. That being said, they did fork out over £200 million to grant Ten Hag his desired signings before the season began, so fans shouldn’t get their hopes up too high on any potential major incomings.

INEOS consider winter pursuit of Leon Goretzka

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has today revealed that the Red Devils retain their longstanding interest in German international Leon Goretzka and are mulling over the prospect of adding him to the ranks for the second half of the term. 

When United welcomed Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in August, Christian Falk claimed there’s a ‘big chance’ the two European giants do business again in the near future – perhaps because Goretzka is being edged out of Vincent Kompany’s plans.

The 29-year-old, hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by his compatriot Manuel Neuer,  is yet to make a start in any competition under Kompany but has made eight appearances off the bench, totalling 134 minutes worth of action. Remarkably, he’s seemingly at peace with the situation, as Plettenberg added that the player has no desire to leave Bayern in the winter.

It remains to be seen the kind of fee the Bundesliga giants would demand if a deal could materialise for Goretzka. He is contracted to the Allianz until 2026, but his best years are undoubtedly behind him at this stage of his career.