Breaking news: Manchester United identify lingard and martial replacement,Manchester United mean business now .

 The January transfer window is now only 

a matter of weeks away and Manchester 

United are well aware of the task that needs

 to be carried out as soon as it opens. 

Ralf Ragnick’s transfer track record at the

 Red Bull clubs has sent gossip columns into

 overdrive as they speculate on the potential

 arrivals in the New Year, the reality is that

 United still need to sell before they even 

think about adding to their seismic squad. 

United only managed to shift one player 

on a permanent deal in the summer window, 

as Daniel James moved to Leeds for £25 

million. He became the fourth-biggest sale 

in the club's entire history, earning a shout

 out from Ed Woodward in a quarterly 

conference call, though ironically, he would

 probably be an ideal fit for the new system 

Rangnick has implemented.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was far too gluttonous

 with his squad options and hoarded talent 

throughout his time at the club, despite 

relying on a core group of individuals to 

bring regularity to his side whenever possible

. It's an understandable approach, but United

 are still feeling the repercussions as 

Rangnick deals with the reality of many 

unhappy players behind the scenes.

Anthony martial is the latest player to 

publicly voice a desire to leave next month, 

via the method of his agent, while Jesse 

Lingard Is also keen on a move after promises

 over playing time weren't kept by his former 

manager. 

It is the attacking duo who represent the 

biggest news ahead of the next transfer 

window, with both of them harbouring 

World Cup ambitions for next winter and 

well aware that in order to get international 

recalls they need to be playing regularly 

elsewhere.

Martial has long overstayed his welcome 

at Old Trafford and, despite a good contribution

 to the cause, he has steadily slipped down 

the pecking order, overtaken by the likes of 

Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, 

then made obsolete after the summer 

additions of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano 

Ronaldo.

It's a different story for Lingard, who has 

seen his stock soar after redemption at West 

Ham earlier in the year. The consensus now 

is that he should be playing more often, but 

because he is not a long-term solution, 

he is probably not worthy of a lengthy 

contract extension either.

If United really do want to operate like an 

elite side again then there can be no room for 

sentiment when it comes to the January transfer

 window and, in the case of Martial and Lingard, 

the duo must be sold if the club is really to 

move on from the tedious cycle they have 

been caught in.

The argument is further propelled by the 

fact that United would not necessarily need

 to replace them either, with an abundance 

of young hopefuls lurking in the periphery,

 itching to get their chance in the first-team.

Instead of bulking up the bench with Martial 

and Lingard there could be a fresh look to 

United next year with more regular squad 

involvement for the likes of Anthony Elanga, 

Shola Shoretire, Amad and Hannibal Mejbri.

All four of those players have to be classified

 as contenders to go out on loan given the 

crossroads they are currently at in their young

 careers, though a chance of sporadic 

senior involvement could be enough for 

at least one of them to stay at the club 

and gain priceless experience on a more

 regular basis.

In the long-term United might well decide

 that a more senior recruit is needed in order

 to bolster their attacking players, but for now

 they have plenty of unproven youngsters 

who deserve an equal opportunity to showcase

 why they can be the solution.

There is no excuse for another quiet January