Manchester United are preparing to strengthen their defence in January, with centre-back and left-back emerging as the two priority positions for Michael Carrick’s squad.

United spent heavily rebuilding their attack and midfield across the previous two summers, but the lack of similar investment at the back is now becoming increasingly obvious.

Luke Shaw’s latest injury has left Carrick short at left-back, while uncertainty surrounding Lisandro Martinez has added another layer to the club’s defensive problems.

Man United ready to enter January market

According to Sky Sports, Man United intend to explore opportunities when the January transfer window opens.

The club are specifically looking at centre-backs and left-backs as they move into the next stage of their squad rebuild.

Carrick openly admitted United will assess what is available.

“When the next transfer window comes, you want to plan and you want to make the best of it,” he said.

United spent around £155million on Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans during the summer but did not make the same level of investment in defence.

Lewis Hall had been the leading left-back target, but Newcastle refused to sell and have since secured him on a new long-term contract.

United’s defensive rebuild cannot wait

January is rarely the easiest time to buy elite defenders, but United may not have much choice.

Shaw’s fitness problems have forced Ayden Heaven to cover at left-back, while Martinez’s contract expires next summer and his future has become increasingly uncertain.

United are also already looking at potential centre-back additions. TEAMtalk reports that Nottingham Forest’s Murillo is among several defenders being monitored ahead of a wider defensive overhaul.

The difficulty will be finding value.

Clubs rarely want to lose important defenders halfway through a season, particularly to Man United, where asking prices tend to rise quickly.

But Carrick’s squad looks unbalanced. United have invested heavily in midfield, yet defensive injuries and uncertainty continue to expose them. If the club genuinely want to compete for Champions League qualification, waiting until next summer to fix obvious weaknesses would be a gamble.

January should therefore be about quality rather than quantity. One reliable defender capable of improving the starting XI could make a far bigger difference than another expensive squad option.