Secret ‘Player’ Man Utd Were Offered in January Revealed After Deal Fell Through

Manchester United were reportedly offered the opportunity to sign a former Premier League midfielder during the January transfer window, but the deal fell through.

United did not sign a single player during the winter transfer window, having signed Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens last summer.

However, the Red Devils may look to sign a top midfielder to replace Casemiro, who will leave the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Several names, such as Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, continue to be linked with a potential move to Old Trafford.

But the Red Devils may have expected another player who boasts Premier League experience to have arrived at the club in January after being offered to the Premier League side.

Michael Carrick did not welcome any new signings in January (Credit:Getty)

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, former Leicester City and current Besiktas central midfielder Wilfred Ndidi was offered to United as a “low-cost option” in January, with the player also reportedly keen on a move at the time.

“In terms of incomings, I can tell you that Wilfred Ndidi, former Leicester midfielder now at Besiktas, was offered an opportunity to Man United,” Romano said on the Here We Go podcast earlier this week.

“A low-cost option, the player was very keen on the move, but United decided immediately not to proceed.

“They had the chance to do something like a low-cost deal, but they chose against it.”

Ndidi previously played in the Premier League with Leicester City, making 303 appearances for the Foxes between 2017 and 2025.

Wilfred Ndidi was offered to Manchester United (Credit:Getty)

Speaking on the United Stand, Ben Jacobs explained how Ndidi was initially offered as a loan with a buy option of around £10.4 million.

"Manchester United held talks with Michael Carrick, who had reintegrated Kobbie Mainoo, and they decided they didn’t want to sign another midfielder now and will wait until the summer," Jacobs said.

"Naturally, when we get to the summer, Ndidi is not expected to be a candidate, so this was something on loan with a buy option in the region of €12m [£10.4m]. That could have happened; it was considered.

"Manchester United went to Besiktas and asked for the terms to be outlined, and so did Ajax as well.

"It was certainly a deal both before Michael Carrick arrived and after, there was a point of internal conversation at Manchester United, and after deliberation, they decided not to make a bid."

Ndidi is contracted to Besiktas until June 2028.