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Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick said it is too early to discuss transfer plans for the January window, though he insisted the Red Devils will only make a move for a “high-quality player”.
United have been linked with a number of players since former RB Leipzig boss Rangnick was appointed manager until the end of the season following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking.
Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara and Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips have emerged as reported targets at Old Trafford, while Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix has also been linked.
But as Rangnick, who has only overseen two matches, continues to gain a better understanding of his squad, the German attempted to curb expectations ahead of next month’s window.
“I’ve got to know them better obviously in this week, I saw most of them play in two games,” Rangnick said ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Norwich City. “We’ve three or four or five training sessions but it’s still too early to speak about what we might do in the transfer window.”
“If I look at the number of players we have it’s still a big squad, we definitely do not have not enough players but we also need to make sure that players want to stay here,” he said.
“If they’re not getting enough game time, it might make sense to speak individually with those players, to see what might work.”
Rangnick added: ”My opinion on winter transfers is clear. It needs to be a player that improves the whole team. It needs to be a high-quality player, no matter what area of the pitch. If it’s a midfielder or whatever it is, it needs to be a player that really helps us to get better.
“On the other hand, it needs to be a player that can perhaps move in the winter, then discussions can begin to be made. But only then if those two things come together will it serve us well. We also need, for this competitive league, to have the best possible mentality.
“They need to be mature and have a built-in winning mentality. For me, mentality is even more crucial than anything in the world.”
United, who are sixth in the standings and 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, are winless in their last four Premier League matches against promoted sides (D3 L1) – the Red Devils have not gone five league games in succession without a victory against such sides since a run of seven between January 1992 and January 1993.
After an English-league record 29 consecutive away games unbeaten, United have now lost two of their last four on the road, conceding four goals in both defeats.
This will be Rangnick’s first away league match in charge of United – none of the previous four permanent Red Devils managers have lost their first league game on the road (W3 D1), with Alex Ferguson the last to do so (2-0 at Oxford United in November 1986).
