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By CHRIS WHEELER, NORTHERN SPORTS WRITER Published: 09: 30 AEDT, 21 December 2025 | Updated: 09: 30 AEDT, 21 December 2025 10 View comments Ruben Amorim insists Manchester United won’t panic buy in January, and has indicated that a new signing might not be the defensive midfielder he needs. United have lost Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui to the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off on Sunday and runs until January 18. But Amorim says the club will only sign players they need for the long-term, and there could be a surprise in store. United are widely believed to have prioritised a defensive midfielder amid uncertainty over the futures of Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo at Old Trafford. But they also have an interest in Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo and may try to steal a march on Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham next month by making a move for the Ghana international. Semenyo has a £60. 5m release clause in January which drops to around £50m in the summer. ‘The only thing that we will try to bring now – and in the end of the season – are players that are perfect for our future, ’ said Amorim ahead of Sunday’s game at Aston Villa. ‘It's not going to be to save something in this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for Afcon. It’s not going to be like that. Even if we try to bring one player, maybe it's not the position that we need more. So I don't know what is going to happen, but it's possible that we can do something. Ruben Amorim has insisted that Manchester United won’t panic buy in the January window - and has indicated that a new signing might not be the defensive midfielder he needs Bryan Mbeumo (left) and Amad Diallo (right) are key players unavailable because of AFCON Manchester United are widely believed to have prioritised a defensive midfielder amid uncertainty over the futures of Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo (above) ‘I’m just focused on the next game. Let's go step by step. We have a big match. We need to win. We need to try to find different ways of playing, especially without Amad and Bryan. We lost some characteristics that are hard to find. ’ Jadon Sancho won’t be eligible to play against United after leaving Old Trafford to spend the season on loan at Villa who are paying 80 per cent of his £250, 000-a-week salary. The 25-year-old fell out with Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag before making previous loan moves to Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, but the United boss was reluctant to discuss Sancho who is out of contract in the summer. ‘I have nothing to say about that, ’ he added. ‘Sancho is not our player in the moment, he is playing for the opposition. He’s not going to play. ‘He’s a very good player. I have nothing to say about that, and if I am going to comment everybody speaks something about Manchester United. I will not do anything else. I just want to try to win the game against Villa. ’ Sunday’s game sees United facing goalkeeper Emi Martinez who was primed for a move to Old Trafford on deadline day in the summer before the club moved for young Antwerp No. 1 Senne Lammens instead. Amorim is happy with his decision, saying: ‘For sure. I’m really happy with Senne. We have a game against Aston Villa. I don't want to commit anything else, just focus on that. I'm really happy with the goalkeepers. I'm really happy to have Senne. ’
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