Stunning Chelsea raid in January confirmed by journalist as Amorim swallows painful deadline day miss

Manchester United already knows the area of the field he wants to strengthen in January after a trusted journalist suggested they plan to raid Chelsea for Romeo Lavia – while a second source has revealed Ruben Amorim’s plans for his midfield after missing a 21-cap England star on deadline day.

The Red Devils were active on the final day, bringing in goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp in a €21million (£18m, $20.8m) deal. Given Manchester United‘s struggles between the posts, it would not be a surprise if the towering Belgian was given an immediate crack at establishing himself as the club’s new No.1.

And while Amorim was also able to spend big money on strengthening his attack – Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all signed for a combined £200m-plus – those four names were the only senior first-team arrivals United could afford to do.

Indeed, in an ideal world and if money were no object, Amorim would also like to have strengthened elsewhere across his side, with his midfield another key area in need of addressing.

Now, according to the Independent’s Miguel Delaney, that will be the next key part of the side Amorim looks to address – and he says Chelsea star Lavia is already emerging as a possible target for the January window.

“The end of the window of course means the start of speculation for January, mostly due to the business that didn’t get done,” the journalist wrote on his Inside Football newsletter.

“Manchester United still want a midfielder. Expect United to go back in for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, although some insiders have wondered whether a deal could be done for Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia.”

United’s need for a new midfielder is certainly true.

While they did indeed miss out on Baleba, following Brighton’s refusal to sell, they also made a deadline day move to sign Conor Gallagher on loan.

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Why Man Utd missed out on Conor Gallagher on deadline day

Per our sources, United had been in contact with Atletico Madrid officials early on deadline day to ask about the possibility of signing Gallagher on loan for the season.

And while the Spanish giants were open to a permanent exit for the 21-cap England star – if the price was right – Diego Simeone’s side were not prepared to discuss a temporary exit for the player they had bought for £34m (€40m, $44m) just a year earlier.

However, United only had the funds for a loan deal, so were forced to accept a painful deadline day miss for the former Chelsea man.

Confirming they had missed out on his signing, Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail reveals that there is an acceptance at Old Trafford that Amorim simply could not fix every broken area of his side in one entire window.

“Understand that Utd did inquire about a loan for Conor Gallagher but Atletico Madrid only willing to sell,” Wheeler wrote on X, before adding: “In the end, Utd accept they can’t do everything in one window and midfield is likely to be priority in Jan or next summer.”

Man Utd deadline day round-up: Antony, Sancho and Hojlund depart…

Meanwhile, United completed a string of deadline day departures to help ease their financial limitations with three players phased out by Amorim all moving on.

Firstly, United beat the deadline to strike an agreement with Real Betis to sell Antony, with TWO major sacrifices in the Red Devils’ favour helping the Brazil winger land his dream move.

The club also shipped out Rasmus Hojlund, who joined Napoli on a season’s loan. The conditions needed to turn the Dane’s loan into a permanent exit have also come to light.

And finally, the role Marcus Rashford played in Jadon Sancho making a loan move to Aston Villa has been revealed in a report. The former England winger, who spent last season at Chelsea, joined Unai Emery’s side in a somewhat unexpected move on deadline day.

Can you master this quiz on players to have left Man Utd down the years?

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