Mauricio Pochettino has been announced as Manchester United's new head coach after club legend Michael Carrick was relieved of his duties on Thursday morning.

After 10 games, the club have found themselves sat in the Premier League relegation zone with just eight points, prompting the club board to force a change for those in charge of the team, including coaching staff.

Pochettino is due to continue coaching the US Men's National Team for the remainder of the international break, which comprises two ties against Haiti on 14 and 18 November, before flying to Manchester to begin work at Old Trafford.

His first fixture as the Red Devils' head coach comes as a tough away trip against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, 22 November. He will have only a few days to train with his new squad before the tie.

During the summer, many were baffled by United's transfer dealings, noting that despite obvious holes in the squad, a new striker and defender weren't signed under Michael Carrick.

Despite bringing in three midfielders in Sandrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba, as well as second-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow, no further movements were made regarding the senior squad.

However, according to mulitple reports, this is something United are already looking to set right in January under pochettino.

The Telegraph have claimed that, with the Argentinian signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with United, the club are set to be in the market for a new striker and defender in the new year.

The Athletic adds that while United are already weighing up specific striker targets for January, the most likely move, as it stands, will be to strike a loan deal.

A new defender and a new striker are musts for the club, but the argument could be made that United should look to sign at least two new defenders in the summer, as well as an extra option in attack.

United have only one experienced left back at the club, Luke Shaw, who has suffered injuries again this season, while Academy starlet Harry Amass, also a left back, has hardly seen a sniff of first-team minutes.

A new left back is a certainty for 2027, but with United having conceded 30 goals across all competitions this season—the highest in Europe's top five divisions—it could be argued that a new centre-back is needed as well.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez have struggled with consistency and injuries over the last three seasons, while Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro cannot be relied upon in every game, as they are still gaining experience.

With Matthijs de Ligt having featured only twice since recovering from a year-long back problem, Pochettino should press for a new central defender in the January window to help address United's defensive woes, as well as a left back.