We're here again. Manchester United are gearing up for yet another managerial takeover, with Mauricio Pochettino set to succeed Michael Carrick in the Old Trafford dugout.
While Carrick undoubtedly had his faults and failed to set Man Utd up with any real identity, much of the criticism went above the 45-year-old -- with CEO Omar Berrada, Director of Football Jason Wilcox and the club's ownership coming under fire for a lack of spending in the summer.
After another dismal start to the campaign -- with the Red Devils placed 18th in the standings after 10 Premier League games -- signings are needed as early as January.
We take a look at three players that Man Utd could sign who are suited to newly-appointed boss Pochettino.
Antonee Robinson
While Man Utd do not have unlimited funds and can’t spend as freely as the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City after racking up significant debt, their need for full-back reinforcement is glaring – and the addition of Antonee Robinson could prove shrewd business.
Valued immensely by Pochettino during his stint with the US national team, Robinson combines elite physical attributes with strong defensive fundaments – possessing the skillset required to play full-back in a team managed by the Argentine.
Man Utd have severely lacked in both depth and quality in the left-back department campaign this term – with Luke Shaw unable to stay fit despite featuring in all 38 Premier League games last season – and the 29-year-old, who has less than two years remaining on his Fulham contract, is a budget-friendly option that the Red Devils could explore as early as January.
Villarreal’s Alex Freeman, also managed by Pochettino in The States, could be a similarly cheap alternative, while Lewis Hall, who was reportedly admired by Man Utd in the summer, would likely cost in excess of £50m.
Morgan Gibbs-White
From a budget-friendly option in Robinson to a pricey attacking midfielder who could cost closer to the £100m mark, Morgan Gibbs-White could be the marquee addition that Man Utd are craving.
While the Old Trafford outfit underwent a midfield reconstruction as recently as the summer – with Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos joining – Bruno Fernandes recently rejected a second contract offer, and at 32-years-old the club may be keen to identify a successor for the Portuguese maestro sooner rather than later.
Even with the new additions, there remains a glaring lack of athleticism in midfield, an attribute that Pochettino simply can’t live without if he is to steer the club back in the right direction.
A tireless worker who boasts threat in transitions and has the ability to drive forward from deep, Gibbs-White shares a number of attributes with former Tottenham man Dele Alli – who flourished with Pochettino at the helm.
Gibbs-White might not be one for January given Man Utd’s financial restraints and Nottingham Forest’s suspected unwillingness to sell, but he’s one that the club should earmark when the time comes for Fernandes to depart.
Folarin Balogun
Realism is needed if Man Utd are to ever get back to the top, and while I’m sure supporters would love the likes of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Julian Alvarez to lead the line at Old Trafford, funds simply won’t allow and Folarin Balogun could be a pragmatic solution to bolster their attack.
Balogun enjoyed a productive 2026 World Cup campaign under the stewardship of Pochettino, scoring three goals and registering one assist for the US before they were emphatically knocked out in the round of 16.
Despite notching 13 Ligue 1 goals in the 2025/26 campaign for Monaco, financial and regulatory pressures mean that they’re open to the sale of the centre forward in January. The 25-year-old was antagonisingly close to joining Everton on Deadline Day, but he recently proclaimed that by the time that he had arrived in Merseyside, the initial contract that was in place had changed, prompting Balogun to step away from the deal.
Benjamin Sesko will be sidelined until January, while Joshua Zirkzee has so far failed to gain the trust of any manager since joining Man Utd, and so depth in the forward department is undoubtedly needed.
A fee in the region of £35m should get a deal done for Balogun.
