The January transfer window is open, and Manchester United are expected to do some business, with Jeremy Jacquet being named as a target for 2026 in a defensive upgrade.
While not an immediate priority, Manchester United’s links to central defenders have persisted recently.
Marc Guehi has been a rumoured target with his contract expiring in 2026. Meanwhile, French wonderkid Jeremy Jacquet has also been consistently linked with a move.
Who should now be Man Utd’s top transfer target in January 2026?
After missing out on Antoine Semenyo, who should Manchester United be targeting?
Jacquet has been watched by United on numerous occasions this season, ticking a lot of boxes for Ineos and being similar to the signing of Leny Yoro in 2024.
Jacquet is Yoro’s France U21 teammate, and the pair have a great relationship on the pitch, which makes the deal even more enticing. But the club might already have a player who will be better.
Jayden Ngwashi should rule out Manchester United signing Jeremy Jacquet
The 20-year-old defender has been linked again with United upon the opening of the January transfer window, with Sky Sports’ Danyal Khan reporting that he is being monitored by the club ahead of a potential move.
Do you think Jeremy Jacquet could be a good centre-back signing for United? Who would you want instead?
It is claimed that a move could happen in January, although unlikely, in the event that other clubs push forward. But United shouldn’t be spending big money on him, with Jayden Ngwashi’s emergence in 2026 likely to continue.
Ngwashi is the jewel of United’s academy, in terms of defenders, and Ruben Amorim has already paid notice.
Having dominated academy ranks, United have had Ngwashi in first-team training recently on a number of occasions.
Within Carrington, United are confident Ngwashi could become the new Guehi, sharing similar qualities to the Crystal Palace skipper, and this makes him a potential perfect Premier League defender.
With this in mind, the 17-year-old should be prioritised ahead of signing another big-money player such as Jacquet.
Ngwashi should be Harry Maguire’s replacement at Manchester United
Signing Jacquet makes no sense with the current 4-2-3-1 shape that looks increasingly like Amorim’s new system, as he wouldn’t play much at all.
Who is next in line to graduate from Manchester United’s academy in 2026?
Assuming Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, and Matthijs de Ligt are the four centre-backs to cover two positions, there is no need for an addition.
Harry Maguire looks likely to see his contract expire, and in this event, it should be Ngwashi who steps up as the fifth-choice centre-back.
United are very excited by Ngwashi and need to handle his development well, given that there will be clubs in Europe willing to promote him.
Ngwashi is the most exciting defender in the academy for United, and hopefully, 2026 is his year.
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