Man Utd has allocated a budget; "Carrick" is preparing to sign the first new player to reinforce the squad this January, directly targeting the Red Devils' objectives.
On 14 January 2026 GMT+7, The Guardian, a leading UK media outlet, reported that Manchester United, the Premier League giant, has prepared a budget for interim manager Michael Carrick to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.
Michael Carrick recently agreed to become Manchester United's interim manager until the end of the season, with the goal of leading the team to a top 4 Premier League finish to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League, after being eliminated from all cup competitions including the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
It is expected that Carrick may not receive a large budget in the winter transfer window, as Manchester United plans to target key summer signings such as Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) or Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).
However, The Guardian has revealed that Manchester United is ready to sign a midfielder before the January deadline and has allocated a budget for Michael Carrick to acquire Ruben Neves, the Portuguese national team playmaker.
Ruben Neves, 28, has been linked with a return to European football after moving from Wolverhampton to Al Hilal in the Saudi league two and a half years ago. With his contract expiring in June, his transfer fee is estimated at around £20 million if he moves during this window.
For this reason, Manchester United is willing to enter the winter transfer market and approve a £20 million budget to make an offer for Ruben Neves to strengthen Michael Carrick's squad in pursuit of their Champions League qualification goal.
Ruben Neves possesses the qualities Manchester United desires, including creativity, long-range shooting, experience, and leadership. He played 253 matches for Wolverhampton, scoring 30 goals and providing 13 assists before moving to Al Hilal, where he appeared in 111 matches, scoring 16 goals and assisting 27 times.
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