Man United Eyes Balogun in January Move
Manchester United have held talks with agent Jorge Mendes about a potential January move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Soccer
Manchester United have held talks with Jorge Mendes over a potential January move for Folarin Balogun after Balogun backed out of a deadline-day switch to Everton. The club spent over £160m on five players in the summer window but have won only two of their first 13 games in all competitions this season.
Why it matters
Manchester United's poor start and the injury to Benjamin Sesko have left the attack thin, making a January striker signing a pressing need. Balogun's arrival would represent an upgrade on the club's current attacking options.
Balogun scored 19 goals for Monaco last season and four at the World Cup for the USMNT, while Everton had agreed a £42.8m deal with Monaco before the switch collapsed. Manchester United have scored 17 goals in 13 games this season, and Joshua Zirkzee has netted 10 times in 82 appearances for the club in all competitions.
The players
Manchester United
Manchester United are one of England's most successful football clubs, competing in the Premier League and based in Manchester.
Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun is an American striker who scored 19 goals for Monaco last season and four at the World Cup for the USMNT.
Jorge Mendes
Jorge Mendes is a Portuguese football agent who represents a large roster of elite players and has brokered many high-profile transfers.
Everton
Everton are a Premier League club based in Liverpool that pursued both Zirkzee and Balogun during the summer transfer window.
The details
Talks between Manchester United and Jorge Mendes took place over a possible January move for Balogun, who had already been close to joining Everton. Everton had also made a loan offer for Zirkzee that Manchester United did not accept, as the club felt it was too late to let him leave without a replacement in place.
Timeline
Summer 2026: Manchester United signed five players for over £160m.
Deadline day, summer window: Everton's Zirkzee loan collapsed and Balogun backed out of his Everton move.
January 2027: Manchester United are expected to pursue a striker in the transfer window.
Season Trajectory
Manchester United's January search for a striker follows the familiar Premier League pattern of clubs using the winter window to correct squad gaps that a costly summer did not close. With only two wins from 13 games, the club's position in the table makes any late-season striker signing a direct response to a campaign that has underperformed its spending.
A January signing for Manchester United would change the club's attacking options for the rest of the 2026-27 season and affect fantasy rosters that track forward scoring. Fans should watch the window for any formal bid, since talks with an agent do not yet amount to a completed deal.
The takeaway
Clubs that overspend in the summer often still need the January window to fix gaps, so early transfer talks like these are a useful signal of where a squad is weakest. Watch for formal bids rather than agent talks to judge whether a move is actually progressing.
What happens next
Manchester United are expected to pursue a striker during the January 2027 transfer window.
Further reading
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