Michael Carrick’s Manchester United will hunt an experienced Premier League No 9 when the January window opens, Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel on Friday evening, in comments carried by TEAMtalk. Three names have been attached to the search: Leeds forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and the Al-Ahli and England forward Ivan Toney.
The move is being driven by a squeezed attack. Benjamin Sesko, United’s summer signing, is out until the new year, and Romano has flagged Joshua Zirkzee as a candidate to leave in 2027. That leaves Carrick short of a specialist centre-forward for the back half of the season.
“So, Manchester United are looking for a No 9, a traditional striker,” Romano said in comments reported by Football365.
Mateta, Calvert-Lewin, Toney
Mateta is the most natural fit on paper. The 29-year-old Frenchman wanted out of Selhurst Park in the summer, was kept, and is now in the final year of his Palace contract, meaning January is the last window in which the Eagles can bank a fee. Romano’s update puts United among the clubs ready to move if Palace open the door.
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Calvert-Lewin is a harder sell. He joined Leeds on a free from Everton in August 2025, has four Premier League goals in the opening nine fixtures of this season, and the club are in talks to extend his deal to 2030. United looked at him as a free agent last year and backed off over injury concerns.
Toney presents a different problem: wages. The 30-year-old has scored 12 goals in eight Saudi Pro League matches this season and 66 in 70 across two years at Al-Ahli, but Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke reports that a permanent deal is financially out of reach and that United are therefore more likely to pursue a loan.
Carrick under pressure as shortlist takes shape
Carrick has won one of his last ten games in all competitions. Sky Sports reported this week that United have Julian Nagelsmann, Fabian Hurzeler and Eddie Howe among the names on their shortlist should they decide to change coach, and that the board does not want another interim appointment.
“Man Utd want to consider a move regardless of what happens with the coach,” Romano said in the same YouTube briefing, per TEAMtalk.
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United host Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, 8 November, with kick-off at 4:30pm local time.
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