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Manchester City became the Champions of England in a record-breaking Premier League season. They did it in style and won the title with five games to spare.
City became the first team in English top-flight history to reach 100 points in a season and also scored a record 106 goals. They also finished 19 points above Manchester United, which is the biggest title-winning margin in the Premier League era.
They have a very good squad, with a lot of depth in every area of the field. Pep Guardiola has transformed them into a champion side. It would, therefore, take a lot of effort and good signings from rival manager Jose Mourinho to dethrone them next season.
The transfer window is open and Mourinho has certain deficiencies in the squad that he needs to address. The Red Devils will have to bring in some world-class names to Old Trafford if they want to challenge Man City next season.
On that note, let’s take a look at the players Manchester United should sign to regain domestic glory.
#4 Alex Sandro
Manchester United are in the market for a world-class left-back. Jose Mourinho did not trust Luke Shaw and deployed Ashley Young in that position for the most part of 2017/18 campaign. Though Young did nothing wrong, United still need a full-back who can take them to the next level.
Ever since his move to Turin in 2015, Alex Sandro has been a consistent performer for Juventus. The 27-year-old can play anywhere on the left flank and is an attack-minded defender.
A physically strong player, who can offer a lot on either end of the pitch. He is a powerful tackler, with 2.4 tackles per game this season. He has also scored 4 goals and assisted 5 more this campaign.
With his big game experience and consistency, he could be a great signing for Jose Mourinho. Juventus value him around £50 million, which United could easily afford.
#3 Toby Alderweireld
The 29-year-old Belgium international is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. A hard-working defender, Alderweireld is regarded a lot for his calmness, consistency, and composure on the ball.
He is a natural leader, who rarely makes mistakes. United lack a leader at the back and Alderweireld fits the bill perfectly. He also understands the physical demands of English football.
None of the United center-backs were consistent last season. Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, and Victor Lindelof have made a lot of critical mistakes throughout the 2017/18 season, thus Alderweireld’s signing could give Mourinho a lot more solidity at the back.
He is yet to sign an extension at the club and is out of contract in 2019. He has a clause that states that if Tottenham triggers a one-year contract extension, he can leave the club for only £25million in 2019. According to various reports, Pochettino is willing to let him go to Manchester United and demands a fee of around £75 million.
#2 Gareth Bale
More than the creative players, United need a quality winger. They tried to sign Ivan Perisic last season, but the deal did not materialize.
Gareth Bale reminded everyone last Saturday that he is still one of the best players in the world. He produced a stunning display in Kiev, as Real Madrid won their third UEFA Champions League title in a row.
Manchester United’s desire to sign the Welshman is no secret. United tried to sign him on multiple occasions in the past but failed in their every pursuit so far. Though they have Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Alexis Sanchez to play on the flanks, none of them can even come close to Gareth Bale. He could certainly bring back the X-factor to Old Trafford.
He scored a goal every 110 minutes last season, which is phenomenal for a winger. He has struck 16 goals in his 20 La Liga starts in 2017/18, and looked dangerous with his blistering pace and technical abilities.
#1 Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is arguably one of the best creative midfielders in the world, if not the best, and Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer of the player. Kroos has played a stellar role for Real Madrid in their hat-trick of Champions League title wins.
The 28 year-old is regarded a lot for his vision, passing, and technique. With a combined passing accuracy of 93.3 in La Liga and the Champions League this season, he could bring ruthlessness to United’s attacking play.
He controls the tempo of the game beautifully and can play in several midfield positions. He has scored 5 goals and assisted 8 more for Madrid this season. Though Manchester United have the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, and Ander Herrera, they have all struggled to dominate games in midfield.
Kroos could be the missing piece in Mourinho’s midfield and also bring the best out of Paul Pogba. Also, Michael Carrick’s retirement and the uncertain future of Fellaini is a contributing factor behind Mourinho's search for a quality midfielder.
