Man Utd's transfer plan emerges as Ruben Amorim braced for AFCON blow

Manchester United's plan for dealing with their Africa Cup of Nations absences has emerged after Ruben Amorim discussed the January transfer window after Benjamin Sesko's injury

Ruben Amorim will rely on Manchester United's academy stars to help provide cover come the turn of the year. The Red Devils will be forced to utilise the full extent of their depth as the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway in December, and United will look at who they have at their disposal rather than turning to the January transfer market.

Amorim will rely on the club's prospects to fill out his squad and cover any absences from players heading to Morocco, as well as any long-term injury to Benjamin Sesko. United will avoid any rash January signings, and their priority remains signing a midfielder in the summer, per reports.

Sesko’s injury leaves Amorim with an out-and-out striker, with Joshua Zirkzee his only alternative forward. Zirkzee has played just 82 Premier League minutes this term and is being linked with a move away from the club.

United will see Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui likely depart for AFCON, with the competition running from December 21 and until January 18. Mbeumo is the club's top scorer after arriving at Old Trafford from Brentford in the summer.

Without any transfer activity, those exits will likely see room open up on the bench. Against Tottenham, Amorim was already forced to call upon Jack Fletcher, son of United legend Darren, to continue the club's record of naming an academy product in every squad for 87 years.

Speaking after his team's draw with Tottenham, Amorim did not rule out activity in the winter transfer window. The Portuguese coach admitted that AFCON poses a problem, but without European fixtures, Amorim conceded that adding new players would also create future issues.

"Of course, we are going to have a problem there [with AFCON]," he said. "But we already knew.

"Then you can prepare that in the summer, but then you have a lot of players in the summer who are not going to play because it's one game per week. So the management of that situation is going to be hard.

"But let's see when the window is open, if we can improve the team and try to prepare something that happened. Until then, we have to take the chance."

If United struggle for forward options, it could see Chido Obi return to the fold. The young striker played eight times under Amorim last term.

This term, the striker has four goals in 11 appearances for the under-21s. Fellow striker Gabriele Biancheri also matches that tally, while Shea Lacey has three goals in nine appearances from the wing.