Man Utd football director does not expect busy January but reveals summer plans 'well underway'

• Man Utd focused on summer window
• Want to sign a striker
• Butland joined on Red Devils on loan

WHAT HAPPENED? Jack Butland, who joined Manchester United on loan from Crystal Palace, is the only signing the club has confirmed so far in the January window. They are on the lookout for a striker after missing out on long-time target Cody Gakpo who joined Liverpool and are closely linked with a move for Dutch international forward Wout Weghorst. But as per football director Murtough, the club is more focused on having a busy summer instead of recruiting heavily in January.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking at a Manchester United fan forum in December, Murtough said, "As always, the main focus remains on the summer window, and we’re already well underway with our planning for next summer. January is a difficult time to find players that teams are willing to let go. It’s no secret that we’re looking for a new centre forward. We’ll see what’s possible in January but. We only want to bring in players who are good enough, and who will make the squad stronger."

"We’re not going to sign players for the sake of making signings. You also need to remember that we invested over £200 million in the squad last summer and, as a club, we need to remain financially disciplined and compliant with FFP rules. So, while we will be exploring options, I don’t expect it to be a busy January window on the men’s side."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: United are currently in red-hot form, having won each of their four games since the Premier League's return following the World Cup break. Most recently, they progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Everton.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED? Erik ten Hag's side next face third-tier Charlton Athletic in a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie on Tuesday.