Transfers
United have closed January door on Joshua Zirkzee, Massara says
United stand firm: they will not sanction Joshua Zirkzee’s departure during January window. No deal.
Frederic Massara has reiterated that Manchester United will not sanction Joshua Zirkzee’s departure this month, even after the striker missed Michael Carrick’s first match and remained out of the squad.
Zirkzee was handed three consecutive starts by Ruben Amorim late in the autumn following an injury to Benjamin Šeško. He scored during that short run, ending a Premier League goal drought that had lasted 364 days, yet was dropped again soon afterwards.
In the wake of Amorim’s exit, Massara said United had “closed off” all transfer discussions until the club found greater stability. That position appears unchanged following Carrick’s arrival on a contract until the end of the season. When asked about Roma’s interest this weekend Massara was unequivocal: “Man Utd said no quite clearly a couple of weeks ago and they have not changed their minds,” as quoted by BBC Sport’s Simon Stone.
Zirkzee did not feature in Carrick’s second debut in the Old Trafford dugout, watching from the bench as his teammates recorded a 2–0 victory against Manchester City. Carrick elected to play without a recognised forward, using Bryan Mbeumo centrally to exploit his pace and versatility, but the club insisted Zirkzee’s omission was not a loss of faith.
United confirmed before kick-off that the Netherlands international had picked up a knock in training. The player was filmed after the match telling fans he would be out for a fortnight, a period that covers the remainder of the January transfer window.
Multiple reports have stressed that Carrick will not be handed new recruits in January. That stance is the principal reason players such as Zirkzee have seen their immediate transfer options curtailed for at least six months: United’s squad is not in a position to be reduced.
Carrick has emphasised the route from academy to the first team, adding: “Everyone needs a chance, you know. Every younger player needs a chance and wants a chance. It’s up to them to then earn the opportunity.
“That’s always something I’ve been passionate about. Even when I was playing, if a younger player comes into the group, into the squad, I would be helping them and trying to guide them and give them advice. Seeing them flourish and almost fly because they’ve got that feeling they play for the first team and they’ve got that opportunity to come on the pitch.”
MLS
Malik Jakupovic’s rise keeps Europe watching as Premier League links emerge
Jakupovic is attracting Premier League interest after a slow rise through Philadelphia Union.
Malik Jakupovic is beginning to draw serious attention at Philadelphia Union, even if his progress has come in measured steps rather than a sudden burst. While Cavan Sullivan continues to command headlines, Jakupovic is quietly building a case of his own at Subaru Park.
The Michigan-born striker only made his MLS debut in March and is still waiting for a first start. His recent usage underlines that gradual path: only two of his last five appearances have lasted more than a minute. Even so, the interest around him keeps growing.
Borussia Dortmund were already credited with an approach over the summer, with reports saying Philadelphia rejected a bid for the teenager. Since then, the picture has widened further, with Premier League links now circulating alongside the long-standing Bundesliga connection. For a player with just one senior goal, that level of transfer noise says plenty about how highly he is regarded.
Jakupovic’s record in MLS NEXT Pro helps explain why clubs are paying attention. He joined the Union academy three years ago, moving to Philadelphia at 14 with the hope of climbing the ranks and helping the club one day win its first MLS Cup. By 2025, he had become an important part of the reserve side, scoring eight times in 19 MLS NEXT Pro appearances and finishing as the team’s second-highest scorer in his first campaign.
His senior breakthrough followed in 2026, when the Union called him into their Concacaf Champions Cup squad. He made his official debut in the 7–0 win over Defence Force, then moved between the first team and Philadelphia Union II as his form dictated. That pattern continued this season until September, when he finally held his place long enough to make an impact. In his third straight appearance for the Union, the 17-year-old scored his first MLS goal, finishing from close range in stoppage time during the 5–0 win over San Diego FC.
Minutes have remained scarce since then, however, and Philadelphia’s attack is crowded. The team has scored 23 goals in its last six matches, with Sullivan in strong form, Bruno Damiani scoring freely and Milan Iloski adding another layer of competition.
“Malik has shown great growth since joining our academy, and his maturity at just 16 years old speaks to his professionalism and commitment,” Philadelphia sporting director Jon Scheer said of Jakupovic back in April.
That professionalism may serve him well, whether his next step comes in Philadelphia or abroad.
Manchester United
Five left-back options Manchester United could weigh up as Shaw’s future comes into focus
Manchester United face a left-back decision, with Luke Shaw’s future uncertain and several options under review.
Manchester United’s rebuild is still being shaped by the fallout from a dismal 2024-25 season, one that ended with defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final. After that setback, the club moved to refresh midfield, with Michael Carrick steering them to third place and back into the Champions League after replacing Ruben Amorim at the start of the year.
Even so, questions remain over whether the squad has been fully strengthened for the demands ahead. United made no late-summer addition at left back, leaving an obvious area of concern unresolved. Luke Shaw is now 31 and into the final year of his contract, and while he enjoyed a surprising injury-free campaign in 2025-26, the club cannot assume that run will continue through the added workload of European football.
The current alternatives do not offer the level of assurance United need, especially with possession-based structure so dependent on the left side functioning properly. A winter move would therefore make sense, whether for immediate cover or a longer-term successor.
Alejandro Balde is the most eye-catching name on the list. He was once viewed as Jordi Alba’s natural heir at Barcelona and excelled during the club’s La Liga-winning 2022-23 season, producing six assists in 33 matches. Injury and a strained relationship with Hansi Flick have complicated matters since then, and with Xavi Espart emerging, a move next year appears plausible. He would be a statement signing, although his reduction in status under Flick and his seven Spain caps suggest caution is warranted.
Rayan Aït-Nouri was also assessed in the summer and, according to BBC Sport, United could have signed him if they had chosen to do so. The Algerian offers strong technique in possession, though the club was not persuaded at the time.
A short-term fix is also possible, and United have tried that route before with Sergio Reguilón. If the focus is on the future, Joaquin Seys of Club Brugge stands out. The 21-year-old has eight Belgium caps, was included in Rudi Garcia’s World Cup squad, and impressed against France’s Ousmane Dembélé.
Destiny Udogie remains a major talent, but injuries are a clear concern. Lewis Hall would be ideal, yet his Newcastle United contract extension makes a move unlikely unless an extreme fee is paid. David Raum is another name in circulation and, at 28, he could offer more than a stopgap solution.
Arsenal
Aaron Ramsdale’s decline from Arsenal starter to Southampton uncertainty
Ramsdale’s rise stalled at Arsenal, and a difficult spell at Southampton has left his future unclear.
Aaron Ramsdale’s career arc has moved sharply from the top end of the Premier League to a far less certain place. At the end of the 2022-23 campaign, he had every sign of a goalkeeper on the rise: a runner-up finish with Arsenal, a place in the PFA Team of the Year and two Premier League Save of the Month awards. At that stage, it seemed possible he could challenge Jordan Pickford for England’s No. 1 shirt by Euro 2024.
Instead, the story changed quickly. Arsenal had paid £30 million to sign him from Sheffield United in 2021, making him, at the time, the joint-most expensive English goalkeeper alongside Pickford. He kept the No. 1 spot for two seasons while Arsenal finished fifth and then second, and he played every minute of the 2022-23 Premier League season. But Mikel Arteta decided a different profile was needed, and David Raya became the preferred choice.
Arteta later explained the reasoning clearly: “very convinced that we had to make a change” and “Not because Aaron didn’t have the quality, but because, I believed, to go to the next level we needed a different profile of goalkeeper,”. Raya’s arrival initially brought uncertainty and mistakes, but he ended 2023-24 with the Premier League Golden Glove as Arsenal pushed Manchester City to the final day.
That left Ramsdale searching for a new path. A move to a leading Premier League side never appeared likely, so Southampton secured a deal worth up to £25 million at the end of the summer transfer window. Ramsdale said he was looking forward to “getting back to what I do best.” and added of Russell Martin, “The way the manager wants to play, the way he was when I spoke to him, he was just full of so much enthusiasm.”
It did not work out. Southampton’s season was historically poor, with 30 defeats, only two wins, 86 goals conceded and just 12 points before an early relegation. Ramsdale’s options then narrowed further, and a 2025 loan spell at Newcastle brought only backup duty behind Nick Pope when available. By the summer of 2026, he was back at Southampton, with a contract running until June 2028 and little obvious room to move.
