Edited, as we were a bit premature

Various news sources in Argentina have announced that Ramon Diaz is signing Argentine midfielder Juan Pablo Raponi, on loan from Olimpo de Bah?a Blanca for the rest of the season, with an option to buy at the end of the loan spell. Raponi would have been registered before the end of the transfer window, but Diaz presumably feels that United can’t wait any longer for new blood, and so a lot will rest on the shoulders of the 24 year old playmaker.

Raponi started off his playing career at River Plate, and then went to Banfield before moving to Olimpo. However, Olimpo boss Gregorio P?rez has confirmed that Raponi doesn’t feature in his plans for the forthcoming Apertura season in Argentina, despite him having trained there all pre-season.

It is thought that United registered at least one more overseas player prior to the closing of the transfer window, possibly Amine Karam, or one of the Diaz boys, or someone else entirely. Many supporters feel that centre-back is a position that urgently needs strengthening, and an argument could be made for several other areas requiring cover. We suspect that further new players will be arriving before the transfer deadline at the end of March but, as with many other things, we could be wrong.