Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox has explained how the club’s recruitment process works as the January transfer window approaches. United were busy in the summer, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens, but will have another opportunity to add further players in the New Year.

The club forked out over £200million to bolster Ruben Amorim’s squad in the last window yet still have areas they want to improve, with central midfield top of the list. Carlos Baleba, Connor Gallagher, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson are among the players they are interested in, although securing one of them in January may prove difficult.

Nevertheless, Wilcox, Amorim and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell are holding regular meetings to discuss potential targets and the sort of players they need. Wilcox, who joined United in April 2024 having previously been Southampton’s director of football, has lifted the lid on the process in an interview with club podcast Inside Carrington.

“Right now, I am having weekly meetings with the recruitment team on the different profiles, the age bracket, the cost, are they attainable, with Ruben as well, so it is a really joined-up approach,” he said. “When we sign a player, there are so many people that are involved in the process.

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“The data team are involved in the process and we will then focus all our attention on certain players. It is really important then that we do the background checks on whether they are clean-living professionals. This is really important.”

United’s form has picked up in recent weeks, with a three-game winning streak ended by a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest on the weekend. Amorim’s side are eighth in the Premier League but just a point off the top four, which is a major target this season.

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“We've just got to continue to build the spirit, continue to build on Ruben's idea,” Wilcox added. “Ruben has got a very clear idea. It's a lot more flexible, the idea, than what people give it credit for. We have got to start with the end in mind and understand the game model, how Manchester United are, it is really important and we have to put the jigsaw pieces together.

“Putting the jigsaw pieces together, we would love to have all of the pieces in place where we can see a very, very clear picture but, whilst we are building and whilst we are building the picture, it is even more difficult when you lose some football matches because people start questioning things. But we are really clear, myself and Ruben, [chief executive] Omar [Berrada], the ownership, we are really clear on the direction of travel and this is really important.”

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