Manchester United are in serious trouble, having lost four of their last six matches in the Premier League. They are eight points ahead of the relegation zone, but eleven off the top four. Ruben Amorim has a massive job on his hands and the best way he can alleviate some of that pressure is by making statement signings in this transfer window.

5. Milos Kerkez - Bournemouth (LB)

Milos Kerkez is a 21-year-old Hungarian left-back who is currently playing for Bournemouth in the Premier League. Man United play with wing-back, with the left sided players being Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. Both seem to be constantly injured, which is why Diogo Dalot has been moved there recently from his favoured right wing-back position.

Milos Kerkez is more likely to join Manchester United than Liverpool. The full-back has personal connections to United via family and this is a driving factor. pic.twitter.com/U92JeUYMLO

— Transfer News (@TransfersLlVE) December 26, 2024

Bournemouth don’t play with wing-backs, but Kerkez is familiar with that role from his time in the Hungarian national team. Even in a Bournemouth shirt, he is often overlapping his winger and adding to the attack. This season he earned the Man of the Match award for his performance against Manchester City, getting two assists as the Cherries won 2-1 and he has also scored his first Premier League goal too.

4. Eberechi Eze - Crystal Palace (CAM)

For a while, Eberechi Eze has been a big fish in a small pond at Crystal Palace, and recently, given Palace’s position in the table, there has been even more talk about the possibility of the Englishman leaving to join a bigger club. Manchester United already have Bruno Fernandes in an attacking midfield role, but with both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho seemingly out of favour at the club, there could be a position for Eze in the team.

Eze has been really good for Crystal Palace since he joined from Queen’s Park Rangers back in 2020, but this season has been a bit slow for him, with just one goal and two assists, the same output as Kerkez. He has spent part of the season in the treatment room, so that might mean that Amorim will avoid him, but he is certainly a talent, that is obvious.

3. Dani Olmo - Barcelona (CAM)

The Dani Olmo situation is a strange one, but one that could work in Manchester United’s favour. The 26-year-old joined Barcelona in the summer from RB Leipzig after an outstanding Euros campaign, but the La Liga club have until the 1st of January to register him, otherwise he could leave for free. The financial situation that Barca find themselves in means that they will have to sell a lot of players in order to get this done.

🚨🚨| JUST IN: If Barcelona do not register Dani Olmo by December 31st, he could leave the club for FREE. Manchester United and Manchester City are interested in him. [@sport] pic.twitter.com/M3ibQgq9lo

— centredevils. (@centredevils) December 27, 2024

According to reports, Olmo is currently in Manchester, as both United and City are interested in signing him, but his agent says that he is just on holiday, rather than looking for a move. The midfielder has five goals in 11 games for Barcelona this season, and won the golden boot in the Euros this summer too.

2. Randal Kolo Muani - PSG (ST)

Randal Kolo Muani has fallen out of favour at PSG in recent months and a number of sides appear interested in the French striker. The 26-year-old has started just two games, and hasn’t even been named on the bench since their first match of December. It is clear that a move will likely happen in January, but the question is where to? Manchester United and Liverpool are apparently ‘monitoring the situation’ while Tottenham and RB Leipzig appear to be the front runners.

Manchester United are in need of a striker as they have only scored 21 goals this season. Only Everton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Southampton have scored fewer. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have a combined five league goals this season from a forward position, but Kolo Muani hasn’t scored since September, so making him your statement centre forward signing looks like it will be quite risky.

1. Viktor Gyokeres - Sporting CP (ST)

It is clear that Amorim and Manchester United want Viktor Gyokeres in January, but the question is, whether or not the player wants the move and how much it will cost them. Manchester United aren’t the only team looking at him, as Liverpool and Arsenal are both vying for his signature.

We really need Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres at Manchester United

Hojlund is not a long term Striker. He just keeps falling at every little push

— Robsy ⭐ (@UTDRobsy) December 26, 2024

The 26-year-old Swedish international has 18 goals in just 15 league games this season and played under Amorim before he made the move to the Premier League. Gyokeres has been at a Premier League side before, as he spent three years at Brighton, but for some reason the Seagulls let him go, to the benefit of Coventry City, and now Sporting. Whichever team ends up with him next month will be in an excellent position to have an outstanding second half of the season.