Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was desperate to add a midfielder and a striker this month but is set to see pursuits for both come up short

Manchester United are prepared to close the window without a major signing, as their pursuits of Sportings Bruno Fernandes and a striker have stalled.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the hierarchy realise the need to boost the team and were intent on bringing in at least one signing, particularly a midfielder, but the situations have meant they may well end January without any new names.
A deal for Fernandes is at an impasse, with a huge difference between the two clubs valuation of the player. Some sources say there is a gap of up to £20m, and currently no sign of either side budging.
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Uniteds primary targets for that position are Leicester Citys James Maddison and Aston Villas Jack Grealish, and they plan to move for one in the summer.
Both are seen as impossible in January, and it is understood that an initial inquiry about Grealish was rebuffed. Staying up is ultimately worth far more to Villa than any one-off fee. 
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1/71 Free agents in summer 2020
70 players could move on a free transfer next summer?
2/71 Nemanja Matic (Manchester United)
3/71 Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
4/71 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)
5/71 Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund)
6/71 Thiago Silva (PSG)
7/71 Edinson Cavani (PSG)
8/71 Willian (Chelsea)
9/71 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser celebrates scoring
10/71 Dries Mertens (Napoli)
11/71 Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
12/71 Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)
13/71 David Silva (Manchester City)
Silva appears dejected as City lose at home to rivals United
14/71 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
15/71 Fernandinho (Manchester City)
16/71 Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Olivier Giroud could move on in January
17/71 Adam Lallana (Liverpool)
Adam Lallana created Liverpool’s winner against Wolves
18/71 Thomas Meunier (PSG)
Thomas Meunier celebrates scoring
19/71 Ever Banega (Sevilla)
20/71 Blaise Matuidi (Juventus)
Matuidi and Kean were racially abused by Cagliari fans
21/71 Pedro (Chelsea)
Pedro celebrates winning the Europa League in Baku last season
22/71 Jose Callejon (Napoli)
23/71 Angel Gomes (Manchester United)
24/71 Tahith Chong (Manchester United)
25/71 Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma)
26/71 Lucas Biglia (AC Milan)
27/71 Giacomo Bonaventura (AC Milan)
28/71 Santi Cazorla (Villarreal)
Santi Cazorla celebrates scoring against Real Madrid
29/71 Lei Wu (Espanyol)
30/71 Nolito (Sevilla)
31/71 Ezequiel Garay (Valencia)
32/71 Layvin Kurzawa (PSG)
33/71 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (PSG)
34/71 Loic Remy (Lille)
Loic Remy celebrates scoring Ligue 1’s goal of the season against Bordeaux
35/71 Adil Aouchiche (PSG)
36/71 Yaya Sanogo (Toulouse)
37/71 Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund)
38/71 Leroy Fer (Feyenoord)
39/71 Artem Dzyuba (Zenit)
40/71 Charles Aranguiz (Bayer Leverkusen)
41/71 Jeff Hendrick (Burnley)
42/71 Jarrod Bowen (Hull)
Hull City’s Jarrod Bowen celebrates
43/71 Cedric Soares (Southampton)
44/71 Salomon Kalou (Hertha Berlin)
Moving on: Kalou, now playing at Lille, believes John Terry deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt
45/71 Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool)
Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool during a training session
46/71 Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Manchester United)
47/71 Marco van Ginkel (Chelsea)
Marco van Ginkel with Jose Mourinho
48/71 Ashley Westwood (Burnley)
49/71 Jordan Ibe (Bournemouth)
50/71 Nampalys Mendy (Leicester)
51/71 Federico Fernandez (Newcastle)
52/71 Wes Morgan (Leicester)
53/71 John Lundstram (Sheffield United)
54/71 Robbie Brady (Burnley)
55/71 Daryl Janmaat (Watford)
56/71 Jonathan Kodija (Aston Villa)
57/71 Ashley Young (Manchester United)
58/71 Shane Long (Southampton)
59/71 Andy Carroll (Newcastle)
60/71 Scott Dann (Crystal Palace)
61/71 Aaron Lennon (Burnley)
62/71 Joe Hart (Burnley)
63/71 Keinan Davis (Aston Villa)
64/71 Alexander Tettey (Norwich)
65/71 Leighton Baines (Everton)
Leighton Baines celebrates his late equaliser
66/71 Adrian Mariappa (Watford)
67/71 Ben Foster (Watford)
68/71 Glenn Murray (Brighton)
69/71 Pablo Zabaleta (West Ham)
70/71 Willy Caballero (Chelsea)
71/71 Heurelho Gomes (Watford)
1/71 Free agents in summer 2020
70 players could move on a free transfer next summer?
2/71 Nemanja Matic (Manchester United)
3/71 Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
4/71 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)
5/71 Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund)
6/71 Thiago Silva (PSG)
7/71 Edinson Cavani (PSG)
8/71 Willian (Chelsea)
9/71 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser celebrates scoring
10/71 Dries Mertens (Napoli)
11/71 Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
12/71 Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)
13/71 David Silva (Manchester City)
Silva appears dejected as City lose at home to rivals United
14/71 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
15/71 Fernandinho (Manchester City)
16/71 Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Olivier Giroud could move on in January
17/71 Adam Lallana (Liverpool)
Adam Lallana created Liverpool’s winner against Wolves
18/71 Thomas Meunier (PSG)
Thomas Meunier celebrates scoring
19/71 Ever Banega (Sevilla)
20/71 Blaise Matuidi (Juventus)
Matuidi and Kean were racially abused by Cagliari fans
21/71 Pedro (Chelsea)
Pedro celebrates winning the Europa League in Baku last season
22/71 Jose Callejon (Napoli)
23/71 Angel Gomes (Manchester United)
24/71 Tahith Chong (Manchester United)
25/71 Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma)
26/71 Lucas Biglia (AC Milan)
27/71 Giacomo Bonaventura (AC Milan)
28/71 Santi Cazorla (Villarreal)
Santi Cazorla celebrates scoring against Real Madrid
29/71 Lei Wu (Espanyol)
30/71 Nolito (Sevilla)
31/71 Ezequiel Garay (Valencia)
32/71 Layvin Kurzawa (PSG)
33/71 Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (PSG)
34/71 Loic Remy (Lille)
Loic Remy celebrates scoring Ligue 1’s goal of the season against Bordeaux
35/71 Adil Aouchiche (PSG)
36/71 Yaya Sanogo (Toulouse)
37/71 Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund)
38/71 Leroy Fer (Feyenoord)
39/71 Artem Dzyuba (Zenit)
40/71 Charles Aranguiz (Bayer Leverkusen)
41/71 Jeff Hendrick (Burnley)
42/71 Jarrod Bowen (Hull)
Hull City’s Jarrod Bowen celebrates
43/71 Cedric Soares (Southampton)
44/71 Salomon Kalou (Hertha Berlin)
Moving on: Kalou, now playing at Lille, believes John Terry deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt
45/71 Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool)
Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool during a training session
46/71 Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Manchester United)
47/71 Marco van Ginkel (Chelsea)
Marco van Ginkel with Jose Mourinho
48/71 Ashley Westwood (Burnley)
49/71 Jordan Ibe (Bournemouth)
50/71 Nampalys Mendy (Leicester)
51/71 Federico Fernandez (Newcastle)
52/71 Wes Morgan (Leicester)
53/71 John Lundstram (Sheffield United)
54/71 Robbie Brady (Burnley)
55/71 Daryl Janmaat (Watford)
56/71 Jonathan Kodija (Aston Villa)
57/71 Ashley Young (Manchester United)
58/71 Shane Long (Southampton)
59/71 Andy Carroll (Newcastle)
60/71 Scott Dann (Crystal Palace)
61/71 Aaron Lennon (Burnley)
62/71 Joe Hart (Burnley)
63/71 Keinan Davis (Aston Villa)
64/71 Alexander Tettey (Norwich)
65/71 Leighton Baines (Everton)
Leighton Baines celebrates his late equaliser
66/71 Adrian Mariappa (Watford)
67/71 Ben Foster (Watford)
68/71 Glenn Murray (Brighton)
69/71 Pablo Zabaleta (West Ham)
70/71 Willy Caballero (Chelsea)
71/71 Heurelho Gomes (Watford)
This has guided the thinking on Uniteds January pursuits and, while they would still like to sign Fernandes at the right price, they dont want any purchase now to affect summer business.
The pursuit of a striker has been even more complicated. Solskjaer wants to bring a player in after Marcus Rashfords injury.
The Independent has been told that there was initial contact with Edinson Cavani and his camp, but that he prefers a move to Atletico Madrid.
Another option is AC Milans Krzysztof Piatek, but United would not be interested in a full purchase, as the Serie A club attempt to raise funds through the Polish internationals sale with Chelsea an option.