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At the start of the window, Jose Mourinho admitted he wanted four new signings. Three have already joined, in the shape of Victor Lindelöf, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic, but the final recruit still seems to be eluding them.
It was reported that they were chasing Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic but since the Nerazzurri’s new manager Luciano Spalletti admitted he was “strongly opposed” to letting the Croatian go, all interest seems to have faded.
With the Red Devils still likely to seek one more move before the window shuts, who should they seek to fill the void on the left-wing? Here’s a look at five options that could boost their title ambitions.
#5 Gareth Bale
A few weeks ago, Jose Mourinho said this to journalists before the Super Cup against Real Madrid: “If he is on his way out of Real Madrid, well, I'll try to be waiting for him on the other side and try to fight with other coaches that would also like to have him on his team.”
As the Portuguese manager tries his best not to blush in front of the Welshman, it’s not hard to see why Bale would be such an asset to Manchester United.
Almost akin to a left-footed Cristiano Ronaldo, the 28-year-old has the pace, power and skill to torment any defence across Europe. Injuries have been a worry in recent seasons but if he can keep a clean bill of health, he’d help spearhead an attack that was severely lacking in goals from other than the main striker last season.
Isco has signed a new, long-term contract and with persistent rumours of a younger model being attracted to the Santiago Bernabeu, maybe it’s time for Bale to move on. Ed Woodward was desperate to have him when he first joined Los Blancos, so there would be no surprise in the fact he would jump at the chance to sign him again.
#4 Julian Draxler
Plenty of United’s current talent are flexible in terms of their position, so why not bring in someone else that can move along the front line?
Julian Draxler has been linked with top clubs ever since he first broke out at Schalke several years ago. A poorly advised move to Wolfsburg didn’t work out but the 23-year-old had a mini renaissance in Ligue 1 after joining Paris Saint-Germain in January.
With the arrival of Neymar, the German international now has to compete with him for a place on PSG’s left wing. If you’ve spent a world record fee on one and also possess the expensive Angel Di Maria, the ever-popular Javier Pastore and the new signing's BFF Lucas Moura, it's not hard to presume that Draxler is the odd one out.
The Parisians will like to recoup all of the fee they paid recently for him but that’s relatively reasonable with the summer we are having. Still young and yet to hit his prime, Draxler could feel right at home in Manchester.
#3 Keita Balde
A more left-field option in these wingers is Lazio forward Keita Balde, who has seriously impressed in the Serie A over the past few seasons. In 2016/17, the Senegalese international notched a whopping 16 goals and three assists, an impressive feat for anyone at the age of 22.
In fact, it’s surprising that he hasn’t moved already. Juventus, Inter Milan and a slew of other Italian clubs were queuing for his services but as of yet, there hasn’t been a breakthrough in terms of a deal.
Should Mourinho swoop in now, he could get a potential gem for a reasonable price. If he stays in Rome for another season, his price could skyrocket, along with his suitors across Europe in the event he repeats his excellent campaign.
#2 Kylian Mbappe
It is maybe a bit pie in the sky for this summer, given the refusal from Monaco to sell him and the astronomical fees offered by the competition, but to be the best you have to get the best. If Kylian Mbappe is this talented now, it’s scary to think what he could become in the future.
The 18-year-old was on fire last season, scoring 21 goals and notching eight assists in 38 games across all competitions, while only starting about half of those matches. His natural finishing ability and the pace to drive in-behind remind everyone of a young Thierry Henry and what the Red Devils would do to have a copy of their old adversary in their ranks.
United would have to battle it out with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, who all seem keen as well, but there’s no harm in trying. A number of his French teammates are at the club, so that might be enough to convince him to don the red shirt for Mourinho.
Or this might be just a fantasy for fans.
#1 Anthony Martial
Why spend the money when United have someone in-house that can do the job?
Back on his debut for the club two years ago against Liverpool, the anticipation over his future was palpable. Could he be the next best player in the world? Could he be a stalwart of Old Trafford for years to come and add his name to the incredible list of talent that walked out of that tunnel?
Now, under Mourinho, he’s struggling for regular game time. Having invested so much in him already and still at the young age of 21, it’s time to finally see whether the Frenchman has what it takes to live up to that potential.
If he can, not only will it feel like a new signing but you might have that position filled for the next eight to ten years at least. If he doesn’t, it might be time for the club to cash in.
