Manchester United have reportedly received on offer from Napoli for forward Alejandro Garnacho, and his exit is said to be nearing.
Little has gone right on the pitch for Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim since his arrival in November, and the club's current position of 13th in the Premier League is a damning indictment of the players' underperformance this term.
It is clear that Amorim needs transfer reinforcements if he is to improve the club's fortunes, but given United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has implemented a number of unpopular cost-cutting measures since arriving at Old Trafford, the Portuguese boss may have limited funds this January window.
Garnacho has been linked with a move away from the team this season, and his sale could give the United manager the funds he needs to reinvest in his squad.
Gaston Edul reports that Garnacho is nearing a move away from United, and that while Napoli's offer of €45m (£38m) has not yet been accepted, they are the club that are applying the most pressure.
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What could United do with the money from Garnacho's transfer?
Garnacho's transfer would likely allow United to spend significantly more in this transfer window than if they were to sell someone such as Antony as the former qualifies as home-grown, and money received for the sale of such players is regarded as pure profit and helps teams avoid falling foul of the Premier League's spending rules.
If a sale was to materialise, then it would not be surprising if the Red Devils looked to invest in a wing-back to start on the left side of Amorim's back five.
Nominal left-back Luke Shaw is frequently injured, and this has meant that advanced players like Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund have had to rely on the support of Diogo Dalot from the left - a right-footed right-back.
The club have been linked with the signature of Patrick Dorgu, and the 20-year-old Lecce left-back is reportedly available for a fee of €40m (£33.8m), and he would at least provide a natural left-sided option for Amorim.
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Would selling Garnacho be a mistake by United?
Chelsea have also been credited with genuine interest in Garnacho, and after they successfully rehabilitated Cole Palmer from Manchester City, the Blues hierarchy may believe that they could do similarly with the United winger.
The forward's agents were spotted at Stamford Bridge on Monday when Chelsea beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1, and it could be a sign that the forward would prefer to stay in England at this stage of his career.
United would still benefit hugely from a financial perspective, but selling the winger to a direct rival could backfire if he manages to fulfil his potential like Palmer has so far.
Additionally, with the future of Marcus Rashford also looking very uncertain, offloading so many forwards in a short space of time could be risky, especially given the Red Devils have only scored 27 goals in the Premier League, the joint sixth-worst record in the top flight.
Lewis Nolan
