Manchester United Transfer News: Ed Woodward Reveals January Deals Unlikely

Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has played down the chances of his club entering the January transfer market with real purpose, saying they are not looking for "short-term fixes" for Louis van Gaal's squad.

Rob Dawson of Bleacher Report and the Manchester Evening News quoted Woodward on Tuesday as United announced a drop in revenues in their financial results:

Jon Super/Associated Press

Mark Ogden of The Telegraph also covered Woodward's comments, with the executive vice-chairman proclaiming they will only move for their summer targets in January if they are readily available.

Woodward also highlighted the current success of United's youth and under-21 setup, per Rob Harris, sports reporter for the Associated Press:

It seems that one of those summer targets who could soon become available is Paris Saint-Germain's Yohan Cabaye.

Fichajes.net (h/t Metro) claimed United are lining up a bid for the former Newcastle playmaker ahead of Liverpool, who also want the French international.

The newspaper says the 28-year-old Cabaye will be made available for £20 million, offering United the chance to purchase a player with huge Premier League experience and know-how.

Cabaye has struggled for playing time at PSG this season having made just six starts for the club in Ligue 1, per WhoScored.com.

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Former Newcastle player Olivier Bernard recently wrote in The Chronicle that Cabaye is destined to "return to England in January" as life at PSG is difficult for him:

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I think that Yohan probably went there thinking that Thiago Motta might be the one to make way for him and that might be what PSG thought as well, but he has got stronger and stronger and stronger.

It is awkward for Yohan but I think it was to be expected that he wasn’t going to start games out there. If he didn’t see how difficult it was going to be then I’m a bit surprised, because he is an intelligent guy who has had a very firm plan for his career.

"

Cabaye has indeed found life in Paris difficult, and at 28 he will not want to be sitting on the bench for significant periods.

On the surface, the future marriage of United and Cabaye makes for a promising relationship. United need a midfielder who is a jack of all trades. Cabaye can offer both creative and destructive actions on the field, acting as the metronome who keeps things ticking in the centre.

Cabaye is happy with the ball at his feet and the truth is United's midfield has lacked genuine craftsmen for a few seasons.

But he would offer a similar skill set to that of Ander Herrera, and this might put the Frenchman off signing for Van Gaal.

But with Herrera in and out of the side, Cabaye could be viewed as a more experienced alternative and the duo could be paired to provide a progressive tactical unit in midfield.

Woodward's words are no surprise given that the January transfer window is a minefield that is difficult to navigate. United need a defender, though, and it will be a huge surprise if LvG does not purchase a centre-back when Champions League qualification is so important to the Red Devils' long-term strategies—both on and off the pitch.