Splashing money in the transfer market has been no stranger to Manchester United in recent years, with INEOS providing major backing to various managers at Old Trafford.
In the summer of 2022 alone, the division has spent over £800m on new players, but it’s fair to say that they haven’t had the desired effect in the Premier League.
Coach Ruben Amorim was only able to lead his team to 15th place last time out, and the 40-year-old’s side were eighth in 2025/26, but things may soon be tough for the manager.
Many of his key starters are scheduled to travel to other countries for the AFCON at the end of December, which could leave the team short-handed in many ways.
As a result, the board has drawn up plans that could see a number of big-name talents move to Old Trafford themselves during the January transfer window.
United looking for new signings in January
Real Madrid star Rodrygo has once again attracted United’s attention in recent days, but it looks like signing the forward could prove difficult.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all said to be keeping an eye on the Brazilian international’s development, and a competition for his signature could develop over the winter.
Xabi Alonso has fallen down the pecking order in recent months, which could mean he leaves the Bernabéu in a deal worth around £70m.
But he is not the only player being linked with a move to Old Trafford, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo also being linked with a move to Old Trafford.
According to Football Insider, INEOS have identified the 25-year-old as the best player to join the club in January to strengthen their frontline during the AFCON.
The newspaper also said that the player has a release clause of £65 million, which will come into effect in the new year, and that the board is keen to activate the contract at such a value and move forward with negotiations as soon as possible.
Why United’s £65m target is Cunha 2.0
United have also been investing heavily in high-profile Premier League players of late, as seen in their signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves over the summer.
The Brazilian scored 15 goals in England’s top flight last season and attracted much interest from the Red Devils and Amorim during the recent summer.
As a result, the board reportedly paid £62.5 million for the attacker’s signature, with Cunha just one of three forwards signed to make a difference in the final third.
During the first few months of his Manchester career, the 26-year-old struggled to reproduce his best form, as seen by one goal in his first 11 games.
But there is still time for a big-money move to revive Semenyo’s career at Old Trafford, especially if he moves in the coming months.
It’s possible they could play together or the Ghanaian could overtake him in the pecking order, which could be revealed by comparing their numbers.
Semenyo vastly outperformed Cunha in a number of key areas during the 2025/26 season, and the Cherries star is the perfect addition to strengthen the front line in 2026 and beyond.
The 25-year-old, dubbed ‘the best winger in the country’ by Chris Waddle, has already registered more goals and assists combined this season, proving his incredible ability in front of goal.
Semenho also has a higher take-off success rate while completing more carries into the final third, and these numbers make him a much better ball carrier than the Brazilian.
Comparison of Semenyo and Cunha in PL (2025/26) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | Semenyo | Cunha |
games played | 13 | 11 |
goals and assists | 9 | 1 |
Accuracy of shots on target | 52% | 40% |
progressive carry | 3.5 | 2.8 |
progressive path | 3.7 | 3.6 |
Take-up completed | 1.9 | 1.7 |
Successful take-up | 53% | 52% |
completed cross | 1.7 | 1.6 |
aerial won | 2.3 | 0.8 |
Statistics by FBref | ||
His superiority over United’s stars is also reflected in his high number of completed crosses per 90, which shows his ability to add end product to his incredible runs.
Other numbers such as high shooting accuracy and passing accuracy also highlight his all-round superiority in attacking areas.
£65m for a player of Semenyo’s quality would be great business, and such a move would soften the blow of Brian Mbeumo and Amad Diallo’s absence from the AFCON.
However, given the money spent over the summer, it will certainly be backed and it will be a huge investment, but it will be up to Amorim to create a song out of the players he currently has at his disposal.
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