Man Utd close in on first January transfer after fending off Arsenal interest

09 January 2024 , 10:02

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Man Utd close in on first January transfer after fending off Arsenal interest

Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Scotland Under-19 goalkeeper Callan McKenna.

The Queen’s Park stopper is expected to complete a move to Old Trafford in the coming days - with the Scottish Championship side in line for a seven-figure pay day should the 17-year-old meet a number of performance related add-ons. The initial fee will be an undefined six figures, according to the Daily Record.

McKenna played in Queen’s Park’s first seven games in the second tier this season but the academy graduate has been injured since late September.

Arsenal were among the other clubs who had been watching the goalkeeper closely but United look set to beat their Premier League rivals to the teenager's signature. Should the move be completed, he will join United’s Under-23 side.

Meanwhile, head coach Erik ten Hag admitted United should have scored more goals in last night’s FA Cup third-round win away to Wigan Athletic.

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Goals in either half from Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes sent United into a fourth-round tie away to Newport County or non-League Eastleigh. Ten Hag said the result was what mattered most but said his team created enough chances to win more comfortably.

"The FA Cup is all about winning. It’s a knockout. If you have to replay [the tie], it’s two games, but you want to finish the job and that’s exactly the words I used in the dressing room: ‘Job done’,” he said.

"We created in the first half five or six very good chances. It was, I think, good football and we should have taken more from that, but if you don’t score, you have to stay focused and I think that is also what we did."

Callan McKenna in action for Scotland's Under-17 side against Wales last year.

And while United will be overwhelming favourites to beat either Newport or Eastleigh to secure their place in the fifth round, Ten Hag said it is far too early to be dreaming of lifting another trophy at Wembley.

He added: "I think that is too far [away], you have to go from game to game, especially in the cup. So we take that, but now, first, all our focus is on Spurs [in the Premier League], of course."

United’s injury list remains lengthy but Christian Eriksen, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are in contention to return for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham.

Alan Smith