"You need two quite unique players" - Gary Neville urges Manchester United to reinforce squad in key area

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has urged the Red Devils to reinforce their squad in a key area, with European football now in the winter transfer window. The Mancunian giants have struggled to meet expectations this season, as they sit in 14th place on the Premier League table.

Questions about the quality of players in the squad have been raised, with many pushing for the club to find answers in the transfer market. With new head coach Ruben Amorim playing a 3-4-3 with wingbacks, the club's lack of quality in the wingback position has been telling in recent games.

Speaking about the position, Gary Neville explained why Manchester United needed reinforcements (via Utd District):

“I could say centre-forward, let’s get a world-class centre-forward, let’s get Isak in, but that’s never going to happen. I think if you were starting, you’d have to start with the fundamentals of this system, which is the wing-backs, they hold it together.

"If you don’t have the wing-backs functioning up and down that are able to attack and defend equally as good, and there aren’t many of those around, by the way, because there aren’t many teams that play wing-back, then you’re going to struggle."

Gary Neville added:

“So, you need two quite unique players in those wide areas, and I think that will be the starting point. And that’s nothing against [Noussair] Mazraoui or [Diogo] Dalot, I think they’re very willing and doing the job the very best that they can. But they’re to me the areas that I would start in this system.”

Indeed, Mazraoui and Dalot have been picked often as wing-backs. The former has impressed in a centre-back role, while Dalot has struggled to provide the marauding intensity expected of wing-backs down the flank.

Dalot has played the full 90 minutes in all eight Premier League games under Ruben Amorim so far, but he has yet to score a goal or provide an assist. Mazraoui has played five of those eight games as a centre-back.

---

Ruben Amorim does not expect Manchester United to sign players in January

Ruben Amorim does not expect that Manchester United will sign players in the January transfer window, which has now opened. While there have been calls to turn to the market to improve the squad's quality amidst a sub-par season, the head coach has admitted the unlikelihood of this.

After the Red Devils lost 2-0 to Newcastle United on December 30, 2024 at Old Trafford, Amorim said (via ESPN):

"We don't have that possibility in January. You know the situation better than I [do]. It's not the case I am not arriving here and I can spend a lot of money, changing all the team. You know the situation so it's not a point to talk about it."

The 39-year-old head coach has managed 11 games so far at Manchester United. However, he has been unable to bring the Red Devils out of their poor form, leading them to just four wins, while losing six games and managing one draw.