Manchester United Women Eyeing High-Profile Signings Ahead of January Transfer Window

Manchester United Women are reportedly targeting Swedish defender Hanna Lundkvist and German forward Lea Schuller as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the January transfer window. The Red Devils, currently fourth in the Women's Super League and in contention for the Champions League knockout stages, are eager to reinforce their team under manager Marc Skinner.

Skinner has been vocal about the need to bolster the squad, especially after midfielder Celin Bizet announced her pregnancy and Hinata Miyazawa's potential participation in the Women's Asian Cup in March. Speaking to reporters, Skinner emphasized the importance of aggressive recruitment to support the team's growth.

"We made history for Manchester United [with the 2024 FA Cup win and Champions League qualification]," Skinner stated. "We are showing progression. Now we need to be aggressive in the window and bring in new players that help support the growth of the team. I would hope to have one or two players potentially before then. We need three or four in the window. It is a great opportunity to build. The market is crazy but we are talking about it. We need depth so the quality doesn't drop in certain areas when we have to rotate."

Ahead of United's WSL match against Tottenham, Skinner confirmed that the club is close to securing a couple of high-profile signings. He stressed the importance of adding depth to the squad to maintain the team's competitive edge, especially given the intense competition in the Champions League.

"The level of competition is there," Skinner noted. "We need to bring in and I know both Matts [Johnson and Hargreaves], head of recruitment and obviously head of women's football, are looking into that and have been for ages. So there's a plan, there's a focus. Hopefully we're close to a couple and if we can bring more in that would be nice."

According to The Athletic, Manchester United are pursuing Lundkvist, who will become a free agent after her contract with San Diego Wave expires. The 23-year-old has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, but the WSL side appears to be in a strong position to secure her services. Additionally, United are interested in Bayern Munich's Schuller, whose contract expires next summer. The 28-year-old has an impressive record, scoring 103 goals in 179 appearances since joining Bayern in 2020.

United's upcoming fixtures include matches against Tottenham, a Champions League tie against Juventus, and another league cup game against Tottenham. When asked about areas needing reinforcement, Skinner indicated a desire to add depth across all units, emphasizing the need for adaptability and varied playing styles.

"I think we need to add to the front line," Skinner said. "I'd like to add some depth in defence, midfield, and attack. So we don't become the same team. What I don't like is when we become one style, I need us to continue to mix that style."