Manchester United are not considering the free agents market, with their long-term target remaining a left-back, according to Manchester Evening News.

The transfer window has closed, and it is unfortunate that United were unable to sign a left-back in the final hours of the deadline day.

The club also blocked Joshua Zirkzee's loan move to Everton, which means United failed to complete any deals on deadline day for the first time since 2019.

On the pitch, United at least showed some improvement from the opening round, defeating Ipswich 5-2, with Bruno Fernandes once again being the standout performer.

Although the transfer window has closed, United will continue to hold weekly Q&A sessions. Fans can submit questions, and United reporter Tyrone Marshall will answer them.

Below are answers to some of the most recent questions:

Why not sign a free agent? Ramos, Carvajal and Alaba would all be better suited to Champions League football than the current options.

From what I understand, United are not considering the free agents market. Many players currently available on free transfers are past their peak, and Ramos and Carvajal clearly fall into that category. Others were released due to poor form, such as Alaba.

Ultimately, there's a reason they are free agents, but these players have also commanded high wages in the past. They don't fit with the INEOS recruitment model being implemented at Old Trafford.

The only situation that could change this is if Luke Shaw suffered a serious injury, leaving United without a left-back, but even then, whether they would sign someone remains uncertain.

Why didn't United sign Osimhen?

Because he would cost close to £100 million, and his wages at Galatasaray are extremely high. The lower tax rates there mean players take home a substantial income.

Osimhen has performed well at Galatasaray, but the fact that he remains there says a lot. Other European clubs don't seem particularly interested in him. His performances in that league are difficult to assess, and the financial cost involved makes him prohibitively expensive for other top European clubs.

If United were to sign a striker in the summer, it would be a much lower-profile deal at a significantly lower price than Osimhen.

Will United sign a left-back and a backup centre-forward in January 2027?

That entirely depends on how the season unfolds. I think if Shaw maintains his fitness and others can deputise in some matches, then the left-back position may not be a priority. The club may also want to revisit the loan market, but in the long term, United's real priority is signing a left-back, which will likely wait until next summer.

Zirkzee's future could also be discussed again in January, but United have Sesko, Cunha, Mbeumo and Rashford who can all play centrally, so they may not need a backup striker.

If Baleba recovers, will Mainoo still get enough playing time?

I think the answer was demonstrated last weekend. Carrick currently has excellent options in midfield, and if Mount can stay fit for a few consecutive weeks, he will have five talented midfielders at his disposal.

And there are plenty of matches ahead. United will enter a period of three matches a week starting this week, so rotation will be crucial.

But I expect Baleba and Mainoo to become the midfield pairing for the biggest matches and gradually establish themselves as United's primary midfield partnership.

What do the coaching staff think we can achieve this season?

That's a good question. Carrick is always optimistic when speaking to the media, and the atmosphere behind the scenes is equally positive about United. He believes United should be competing at the top of the Premier League table.

But you get the sense he wanted more in the transfer window and has had to accept that consistent title challenges or deep runs in European competitions have become more difficult than necessary.

Carrick is genuinely pleased with the three midfielders he has signed and believes his squad depth is stronger than last season, but to achieve his ultimate goals, he will also need a bit of luck with injuries.

Website AF đã ra mắt! Xem tin tức đầy đủ, bình luận, chi tiết trận đấu và thống kê trên máy tính. Truy cập: www.allfootballapp.com