RUBEN AMORIM could lose up to six Manchester United stars in January.
The Portuguese has finally settled into a rhythm at Old Trafford and United are knocking on the door of the top four.
But with several players facing slim prospects of first-team minutes over the second half of the season, exits are on the cards.
It’s understood that United chiefs are reluctant to sell senior squad members until after the Afcon final.
That game is scheduled for January 18, which leaves plenty of time for changes to be made before the window slams shut.
Here, SunSport takes you through six Red Devils stars who could make way.
Kobbie Mainoo
The 20-year-old wonderkid who played in last year’s Euros final has not started a single Premier League game this season.
With Amorim favouring other midfield options, United academy product Mainoo may be forced to look elsewhere if he is to stand any chance of featuring at the 2026 World Cup.
And United may reluctantly let him go, given that his sale would go down as pure profit in the books, giving them more wiggle room to go after their January targets.
Luckily for Mainoo, he’s not short of suitors.
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The youngster has been linked with Chelsea in the past but Napoli are showing the most serious interest at present.
The Serie A side have already reaped the rewards of pinching Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund from United – and Mainoo could follow them to Italy.
Joshua Zirkzee
Four goals in 43 Premier League games is a poor return for a striker who cost £36.5million.
Zirkzee, 24, has struggled in England but he’s drawing admiring glances from Italy, where he enjoyed success with Bologna between 2022 and 2024.
Roma have reportedly proposed to take the Dutchman on loan with an obligation to buy him at the end of the season.
An agreement on Zirkzee’s part is not expected to be an issue, but Roma are yet to hold talks with United, who would want to wait until Afcon has finished in any case.
Tyrell Malacia
The Netherlands international is the last remaining member of the ‘Bomb Squad’ who were told they could leave in the summer.
Malacia couldn’t find a move and the two minutes he got off the bench against Newcastle on Boxing Day were his first in any competition this season.
The 26-year-old returned to first-team training at the end of September but his contract is up in six months’ time, with United open to a loan or a permanent sale in January.
Harry Amass
Amass, 18, was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer but it was only a half-season agreement.
Wednesday want to extend it until the end of the campaign but a host of other Championship clubs are believed to be keen on Amass, who has started 18 league games this term.
And the Owls don’t have much leverage given that they’re rock bottom on -8 points amid a turbulent time off the pitch.
Promotion to the United first team appears to be out of the question – at least in the short term – for Amass.
He riled up Amorim by posting a picture of himself holding a Player of the Month award after the United boss said he was “struggling” in the second tier.
Amorim responded: “I think it is the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club.”
Toby Collyer
United have recalled the 21-year-old from his underwhelming loan stint at West Brom.
Collyer only started three Championship games and returned to Carrington with a calf injury.
United have decided he won’t be going back to the Hawthorns even after he recovers.
While he could be needed as midfield cover if Mainoo is sold, a host of Championship clubs are reportedly ready to swoop if United make him available for loan.
Diego Leon
The left-back is already a senior Paraguay international and played plenty of football in his homeland before sealing a move to United worth up to £7m.
But the Red Devils are determined to take it slow with Leon, who is yet to play a first-team game in England.
He will have loan options in January but United chiefs are still weighing up whether another few months in their youth ranks would be more useful.
