{"id":26786,"date":"2025-11-16T18:17:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T23:17:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T18:17:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T23:17:06","slug":"manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester United, dream eleven after January"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#1_GK_%E2%80%93_Senne_Lamence\" >1  \n         \n                            GK &#8211; Senne Lamence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#2_RCB_%E2%80%93_Matthijs_de_Ligt\" >2  \n         \n                            RCB &#8211; Matthijs de Ligt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#3_CB_%E2%80%93_Marc_Gehi\" >3  \n         \n                            CB &#8211; Marc Gehi<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#4_LCB_%E2%80%93_Lisandro_Martinez\" >4  \n         \n                            LCB &#8211; Lisandro Martinez<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#5_RWB_%E2%80%93_Amado\" >5  \n         \n                            RWB &#8211; Amado<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#6_CM_%E2%80%93_Bruno_Fernandes\" >6  \n         \n                            CM &#8211; Bruno Fernandes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#7_CM_%E2%80%93_Carlos_Baleva\" >7  \n         \n                            CM \u2013 Carlos Baleva<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#8_LWB_%E2%80%93_Federico_DiMarco\" >8  \n         \n                            LWB &#8211; Federico DiMarco<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#9_RAM_%E2%80%93_Brian_Mbeumo\" >9  \n         \n                            RAM &#8211; Brian Mbeumo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/11\/16\/manchester-united-dream-eleven-after-january\/#10_LAM_%E2%80%93_Mateus_Cunha\" >10  \n         \n                            LAM &#8211; Mateus Cunha<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Roma wasn&#8217;t built in a day and neither will this Manchester United team under manager Ruben Amorim. It will take patience and the checkbook for the Portuguese to turn the Red Devils back into real contenders.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s still early days, but summer signings Senne Lamence, Brian Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have all made a big impact so far, and there are positive signs after his first appointment.<\/p>\n<p>    The investment is certainly just the beginning as Amorim looks to shake things up, but the turbulent 2025\/26 so far has once again demonstrated the scale of the task ahead, with reinforcements needed across the park.<\/p>\n<p>There are still issues to be resolved, particularly at wing-back and central midfield, and January presents a great opportunity to find the necessary upgrades.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, if everything goes to plan in this dream scenario, let&#8217;s take a look at how United could shape up after the window closes&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gk---senne-lammens\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_GK_%E2%80%93_Senne_Lamence\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">1 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>GK &#8211; Senne Lamence<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    He could probably join Sunderland&#8217;s Granit Xhaka as one of the best bargains of the summer in the Premier League, but United&#8217;s \u00a318m man has had few failures so far and is yet to taste defeat in his new surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>He may not be the second coming of Peter Schmeichel, but he certainly made a stronger first impression than Andre Onana or Altai Baindil.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"rcb---matthijs-de-ligt\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_RCB_%E2%80%93_Matthijs_de_Ligt\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">2 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>RCB &#8211; Matthijs de Ligt<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Second time is the charm for Matthijs de Ligt, and the Dutchman is set to emerge as one of Amorim&#8217;s key lieutenants this time around, after a solid but unglamorous first season.<\/p>\n<p>The 26-year-old, who was the hero in the dying moments against Spurs, is the only member of the squad to have played every game in the Premier League this season. Is your future captain waiting?<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cb---marc-guehi\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_CB_%E2%80%93_Marc_Gehi\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">3 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>CB &#8211; Marc Gehi<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Marc Gehi was on the brink of a move to Liverpool during the summer, and with his contract expiring, he will be looking at the possibility of a bargain contract in January.<\/p>\n<p>The Anfield players may still be the frontrunners, but reports suggest the England international could be the successor to aging but influential backline center Harry Maguire, with United also on the list of coveted signings.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"lcb---lisandro-martinez\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_LCB_%E2%80%93_Lisandro_Martinez\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">4 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>LCB &#8211; Lisandro Martinez<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Lisandro Martinez, who has been out of action since early 2025 due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, is gradually getting closer to returning to action, which is a big boost for Amorim and others.<\/p>\n<p>Luke Shaw has impressed as a left-sided centre-back in recent years, but the Argentine, who is part of United&#8217;s new leadership group, looks destined to start once he is fit and available again.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"rwb---amad\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_RWB_%E2%80%93_Amado\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">5 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>RWB &#8211; Amado<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Although the duo of Amad and Mbeumo had some teething problems early on, United&#8217;s right-hand side has been very effective in recent weeks, with the pair particularly featured in last month&#8217;s opening game at Anfield and the opening goal against Spurs.<\/p>\n<p>    This form, which saw Amad find the back of the net late on at the City Ground, will be even more of a concern heading into December&#8217;s AFCON.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cm---bruno-fernandes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_CM_%E2%80%93_Bruno_Fernandes\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">6 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>CM &#8211; Bruno Fernandes<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Debate will rage over whether this is Bruno Fernandes&#8217; best position, but the 31-year-old, who came close to leaving the club over the summer, remains quietly pulling the strings from a deep role.<\/p>\n<p>Two goals, three assists and two penalties missed in this season&#8217;s Premier League show the Portuguese maverick brings his usual chaos and consistency as the heartbeat of Amorim&#8217;s side.<\/p>\n<p>I can&#8217;t get rid of him yet&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cm---carlos-baleba\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_CM_%E2%80%93_Carlos_Baleva\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">7 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>CM \u2013 Carlos Baleva<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    He wants United &#8211; no matter how you look at it &#8211; and United want him. Make it happen, INEOS.<\/p>\n<p>The midfield &#8216;monster&#8217; hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson was linked with a \u00a3100m-plus move to Old Trafford over the summer, but there may be some wiggle room in the negotiations given his poor form in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n<p>His plight may be a cause for concern, having already been substituted at half-time three times, but at his best, the athletic, all-around 21-year-old could be the successor to Casemiro that United desperately need.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"lwb---federico-dimarco\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_LWB_%E2%80%93_Federico_DiMarco\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">8 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>LWB &#8211; Federico DiMarco<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    The caveat with this next addition is that if United and INEOS were to sign Guehi and Baleva, they would likely have to make significant sales to even the books, whether it be someone like Joshua Zirkzee or Diogo Dalot.<\/p>\n<p>However, the advantage of a move for Federico Dimarco is that the Italian defender still only has 18 months left on his current contract with Inter, and could be a smart deal amid reports of interest from Manchester.<\/p>\n<p>Signing a specialist like DiMarco would be the perfect upgrade for 2026, with neither Dalot nor Patrick Dorg having firmly settled on the left wing-back role.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ram---bryan-mbeumo\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_RAM_%E2%80%93_Brian_Mbeumo\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">9 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>RAM &#8211; Brian Mbeumo<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    As already mentioned, Mbeumo and Amad have emerged as a formidable pair on the right-hand side, but it is clear who is at the heart of that pairing, with the Cameroonian already having scored six goals in 12 games since his \u00a371m move from Brentford.<\/p>\n<p>    Comfortable with either foot or head, the 26-year-old is the impromptu attacking spearhead Amorim needed. May his rampage continue for a long time.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"lam---matheus-cunha\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_LAM_%E2%80%93_Mateus_Cunha\"><\/span>\n            <span class=\"item-num\">10 <\/span><br \/>\n        <span><br \/>\n                            <strong>LAM &#8211; Mateus Cunha<\/strong><br \/>\n                    <\/span><br \/>\n       <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>    Casemiro may be nearing the climax of his United journey with six months left on his contract, but the club have a new Brazilian hero to cherish in Cunha, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman already receiving rave reviews at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n<p>A powerful yet elegant 26-year-old, he has the makings of a future United star, but with just one return goal so far there is room for improvement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Roma wasn&#8217;t built in a day and neither will this Manchester United team under manager Ruben Amorim. It will take patience and the checkbook for the Portuguese to turn the Red Devils back into real contenders. It&#8217;s still early days, but summer signings Senne Lamence, Brian Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have all made [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[681,6906,40,6232,106,107],"class_list":{"0":"post-26786","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-dream","9":"tag-eleven","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-january","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-united"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26786"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26786\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}