The January transfer window reopening could come at the perfect time for Wayne Rooney and his new Birmingham City side, the former Manchester United great turned Blues manager struggling in the St Andrew’s dug-out so far.
New fresh bodies into the building handpicked by Rooney himself could be the catalyst for change as the under-pressure boss begins to leave his mark on the Blues, Birmingham falling down the Championship table at a rapid pace under the former Derby County manager’s doomed reign to date with only one win from eight.
Rooney could well have a number of Red Devils players on his shopping list, relying on his ties still to Old Trafford in order to gain some exciting talents in through the door at St Andrew’s to stop the rot.
Here are three Man United players the already under-fire Blues boss could attempt to sign on loan this January to liven up proceedings…
1
Joe Hugill
Rooney could well opt to bring in a fresh face up top this January, with Joe Hugill potentially his desired target who continues to be prolific at youth level for Man United.
Birmingham’s strikers are struggling for goals minus young hot-shot Jay Stansfield – with five goals – who is on loan from Fulham, so Rooney could decide another loan buy is worth pursuing.
Hugill has seven goals in all competitions for the U21’s side this season, scoring twice last time out in Premier League 2 action versus Everton.
The 20-year-old did struggle out on loan at non-league Altrincham recently – only netting one goal from seven National League appearances in 2022/23 – but Erik ten Hag might well see Hugill going under Rooney’s wing on a short-term basis as a beneficial learning curve for his exciting prospect.
2
Omari Forson
Another youngster exciting those at Man United is Omari Forson, who would also benefit from a taste of senior action if he was to be loaned out.
Forson has been deployed at U23 level this season down both flanks and even through the centre of the park, with Forson excelling mainly down the left wing – four of his seven goals in all competitions coming from this role in the side.
Birmingham are light on numbers down the flanks so Forson could well be a worthwhile short-term buy this January, with Koji Miyoshi in recent weeks even moving over to the wing despite starting his career at the Blues mainly as a central attacking midfielder.
Other options in the winger positions such as Oliver Burke have just failed to acclimatise to St Andrew’s – the Werder Bremen loanee routinely firing blanks for the Blues with zero goals – and so the skilful and clinical attacker from Man United could be a wise acquisition in the transfer window.
3
Radel Vitek
Lastly, the final name on Rooney’s potential shopping list from the Red Devils could be Czech goalkeeper Radel Vitek.
Vitek was a surprise inclusion on the bench against Sevilla in last season’s Europa League for Man United, with the 20-year-old shot-stopper highly thought of at Old Trafford.
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Amassing 55 appearances in numerous age brackets at the club, the time could be right for Vitek to experience the cut and thrust of EFL football on loan.
The Blues do have two experienced goalkeeper options on their books, with former Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper John Ruddy the preferred number one, but Vitek could offer the ageing shot-stopper some healthy competition if he was signed by Rooney.
Ruddy has struggled to keep the ball out of his net this season, only keeping four clean sheets from 19 appearances. Could a fresh recruit from the Red Devils hungry for more minutes come in and steal his number-one jersey?
