United's sole league win this season came back in August when they earned a resounding 5-2 home win over newly promoted Ipswich Town.

Carrick went on to oversee just two more victories, both coming in the UEFA Champions League as they eased past Sabah FK in September and claimed a comeback 3-2 triumph over AS Roma earlier this month.

From signing a two-year deal to being sacked within 15 games was not what the Premier League giants were hoping for after Carrick guided the club to a top-three finish last season.

And, to compound matters, reports on Thursday night suggested that captain Bruno Fernandes had turned down another contract proposal.

There was, however, a new dawn on Friday, as Mauricio Pochettino penned a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Carrick.

The Argentine will lead the USA over the international break before taking charge of his first Premier League game since May 2024 when Manchester United face Liverpool on November 22.

Fans know that the board now needs to back Pochettino in order to restore the club to their former glory, and we have picked out five dream and realistic signings United could make when the January transfer window opens.

Full-back

Dream - Rayan Ait-Nouri or Lewis Hall

Manchester United, in many fans' opinions, need to strengthen at full-back in the New Year.

Two of the options could be Rayan Ait-Nouri and Lewis Hall.

The former has struggled for minutes at Manchester City this season, having dropped behind Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly in the left-back pecking order.

Hall, meanwhile, is one who supporters would love to see don a Manchester United shirt. That, though, will prove far easier said than done, with Newcastle United unwilling to entertain offers for the England international, who signed a new long-term contract at St James' Park back in September.

Realistic - Rayan Ait-Nouri or Alex Freeman

Ait-Nouri is also a realistic full-back option for The Red Devils. The Algeria international is not favoured by Enzo Maresca, while he is settled in Manchester, which would mean a seamless transition from the blue half of the city to the red.

He would be an upgrade on Pochettino's current left-back options, while the Argentine's need for attacking full-backs to overlap the wingers would suit his style of play.

Barcelona are believed to interested in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man, meaning that United would need to act quickly to lure Ait-Nouri to Old Trafford.

Hall, though, is perhaps out of the club's grasp, especially after he extended his stay with The Magpies earlier in the year.

Rather, Manchester United could turn their attention to Villarreal star Alex Freeman.

Freeman is a player who Pochettino knows well from their time together with the USA, with the coach familiar with the defender's style of play.

While primarily a right-back, the 22-year-old is able to play at centre-back and left-back, and this versatility is key for a Pochettino side.

United's new boss has recently favoured an asymmetric full-back system where one tucks in to form a three-man backline when the other pushes on.

It is a system that suits Freeman, who is a handy distributor and boasts the attacking instincts to really hurt opponents.

The youngster's stamina, combined with the desire to get up and down the flanks, suits Pochettino's high-energy approach, meaning he could be a top target come January.

Midfield

Dream - Morgan Gibbs-White or Myles Lewis-Skelly

Manchester United prioritised central midfield in the summer, bringing in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.

Even so, they are still short of options in a key area. Santos has struggled since joining from Chelsea. Baleba has endured a number of spells on the sidelines due to injury, while Tielemans is still getting used to life in the Man Utd engine room.

And when factoring in Fernandes' ongoing contract issues, Manchester United may well be scrambling for midfield reinforcements in January.

The dream additions of Morgan Gibbs-White and Myles Lewis-Skelly from Nottingham Forest and Arsenal, respectively, would tick a number of boxes.

Both can play multiple roles across the pitch, with the latter able to operate at left-back.

However, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal would be loathe to lose the pair at the turn of the year, and even if United do come calling, both Gibbs-White and Lewis-Skelly may not want to up sticks to a club who are struggling lower down the table.

Realistic - Conor Gallagher or Tyler Adams

With the limited chance that United will sign either Gibbs-White or Lewis-Skelly, or both, in January, the club need to be more realistic in the market. And there are experienced options Pochettino is familiar with to boost the club in the middle of the park.

Tottenham Hotspur only signed Conor Gallagher in January, and the midfielder played a key role for the north London side as they retained their Premier League status on the final day of the season.

The 26-year-old has been forced to play a bit-part role under Roberto De Zerbi this time around, with five of his eight league outings coming from the bench.

Could another January switch be on the cards for the 26-year-old?

Gallagher excelled under Pochettino during their time together at Chelsea, establishing himself as one of the club's most important players during the Argentine's sole season in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

And as Pochettino seeks to implement a high-intensity game plan, Gallagher would be a fine fit.

Tyler Adams is another player who United could target to bolster the midfield ranks.

The USA international is a key player at Bournemouth, having started eight of 10 league matches.

Bournemouth have previously weighed up the idea of selling Adams, with Chelsea at one point linked with the American.

Like Lewis-Skelly, he is a player who can operate in a number of roles given his experience at right-back, and, again, a player who Pochettino knows well.

Striker

Dream - Julian Alvarez

To what extent might Pochettino's arrival impact on Alvarez's future?

The Atletico Madrid forward was at the centre of the saga of last summer's transfer window, with the player making no secret of his desire to join Barcelona.

Atletico were not willing to sell to a domestic rival and were only open to sanctioning a move to Arsenal, if the numbers added up. While Mikel Arteta's interest in Alvarez is likely to return in the future, the presence of a compatriot in the Manchester United dug-out could tip the balance in their favour.

The long-standing Gunners target may feel he has unfinished business in the Premier League following his time at Manchester City, so any potential move to their neighbours would likely ruffle a few feathers in the same way Carlos Tevez did when he swapped red for blue.

Realistic - Folarin Balogun

Again, Pochettino could utilise his USA links to secure the services of Folarin Balogun.

The American, who was embroiled in a red card issue at the 2026 World Cup, was close to leaving French side AS Monaco for Everton on deadline day, only to walk away from the deal at the last minute.

Monaco are evidently open to a sale despite Balogun's impressive form last season, combined with his three-goal haul at the World Cup over the summer.

A lack of game time this time around means Balogun may look for a fresh start next year, with Old Trafford a potential destination.

Experienced as a lone striker, he would be a solid fit to lead the charge in Pochettino's favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.

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