Four players Man Utd could to sign in January to replace Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo appears to be facing a highly uncertain future at Manchester United after his public falling-out with Erik ten Hag last week. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was forced to train with United’s under-21 side after refusing to come on as a substitute against Southampton but has since returned to the squad and will be hoping to force his way back into contention for a regular starting spot over the coming weeks.There is still every chance that Ronaldo will leave Old Trafford in January, though, with the 37-year-old still eager to find a new club after failing to do so over the summer. His contract at United is set to expire at the end of the season and there is no reason to believe that he will sign a new one, which suggests that the Red Devils could look to sell in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer when the campaign draws to a close.With that in mind, Express Sport takes a look at four potential targets that United could sign to replace Ronaldo if they play their cards right in January…JUST IN: Arsenal to receive PSV payment after UEFA slap triple punishment Cristiano Ronaldo could reportedly be sold by United in the January window (Image: GETTY)United have been credited with an interest in Napoli marksman Osimhen in recent months and were reportedly among the sides to express an interest in snapping him up over the summer. The Nigerian forward has chipped in with five goals in all competitions since the beginning of the campaign and is thought to be keenly admired by Ten Hag, who could well decide to sanction a move for his signature at the turn of the year.However, it seems as though Osimhen’s preference would be to stay at Napoli for the time being, with his agent claiming earlier this month that he is not yet looking to change clubs. Napoli would also be looking for a mega-money transfer fee in order to let go of the 23-year-old, who remains tied down to his current employers until 2025, in the middle of the season.DON’T MISSMan Utd staff ‘watching duo’ as David de Gea may be offered ultimatumAdama Traore shows no mercy after fans challenge Wolves star to raceChelsea ‘scouting Denzel Dumfries’ as Potter eyes ex-Man Utd targetAbraham is another player to have been mentioned in connection with United over the last few months after impressing with Roma over the course of last season. He led their attacking charge with 27 goals in all competitions and helped the Italian heavyweights to clinch their first ever major European title by winning the Europa Conference League.The England ace is under contract at Roma until 2026, though, which suggests that United would be forced into paying over-the-odds to stand any chance of bringing him to Old Trafford in January. There is also little indication that Abraham would be prepared to return to the Premier League any time soon, although it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will be able to tempt him into joining their ranks when the bidding opens next year.Follow our new Express Sport page on Instagram here. Cody Gakpo has been linked with a potential move to United since last summer (Image: GETTY)United have long been linked with a potential move for PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo, who is widely regarded as one of Europe’s finest young players and has been tipped to move on to bigger and better things for quite some time. He has emerged as a hugely prolific operator since the start of the season with 13 goals already to his name and is said to be looking to earn a high-profile move despite rejecting the opportunity to leave PSV over the summer.Gakpo was targeted by Leeds and Southampton prior to last month’s all-important transfer deadline but ultimately opted to stay put in order to wait for a better team to come calling. It seems likely that he would entertain the idea of joining United if they decide to firm up their interest when January rolls around, although PSV will undoubtedly need some convincing to let their prized asset go before the end of the campaign.WIN A FREE ENGLAND SHIRT FOR THE WORLD CUP!  The Red Devils are said to be keen on signing a new striker in January (Image: EXPRESS)A cheaper option in the market for United could emerge in the form of Brian Brobbey, who thrived under Erik ten Hag’s guidance at Ajax last season and was linked with the Red Devils over the summer. The 20-year-old remained in contact with his former manager during pre-season but ultimately ended up staying at Ajax, although he has promised that he will provide the Dutch giants with a ‘nice transfer fee’ by leaving at some point in the future.Brobbey is the least accomplished player on this list but is also the youngest, with his sky-high potential having played a major role in shaping United’s interest in his services over the last few months. It would certainly be a gamble for the Red Devils to sign him as a direct replacement for Ronaldo in January, but it would have every chance of paying off if Brobbey is able to hit the ground running under the watchful eye of Ten Hag at Old Trafford.Want the latest Premier League news as we publish it on Express Sport? Join our Facebook group by clicking here.