Since Sir Alex Ferguson departed Old Trafford, Manchester United have been unable to recapture the unrelenting success of their glory days. Managers have come and gone and the club has more often than not looked to the transfer market as an opportunity to rebuild a deflated squad but, as their continuing Premier League struggles would suggest, such spending has come to no avail so far.
The end of this campaign too will require some quick thinking in the transfer market, with the likes of injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic and veteran midfielder Michael Carrick out of contract at the end of the campaign. The latter will prove especially difficult to replace given his long-term presence at the club and the search for a like-minded player to partner Paul Pogba in midfield is at the top of the list of priorities for Mourinho and co. this summer.
Also read: 5 players who could replace Wayne Rooney at Manchester United
Here’s a look at five candidates United may target over the next few months…
#1 Tiemoué Bakayoko - AS Monaco
One of the greatest pitfalls Monaco will face in the wake of such successful Ligue 1 and Champions League campaigns is the possibility of a player exodus, with a handful of European giants eager to swoop in and steal the French outfit’s finest, youngest talent.
Among the players on the radar of many clubs is holding midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko. The former Rennes midfielder has maintained an average pass accuracy of 87% and has averaged four key defensive actions per game this term, impressing particularly on the European stage.
The 22-year-old has proven he is capable in the air and has the ability to make strong tackles, rendering him an ideal candidate to complement the more attacking-minded Pogba at the heart of the Manchester United midfield. That said, his brother Soualio recently suggested that the Monaco man has “always dreamed of PSG”, another side rumoured to be interested in Bakayoko’s services.
Rio Ferdinand outlined that “there were deficiencies in his game in terms of picking up people and identifying danger” when criticising Bakayoko’s performance in Monaco’s Champions League exit to Juventus. Such claims would not fill United fans with confidence given that they need a consistent performer at the hub of midfield, but if it’s a younger talent with potential Mourinho is interested in, then Bakayoko may well be the perfect candidate.
#2 David Lopez - Espanyol
An older alternative, David Lopez, 27, is at peak age and thus a promising option at this time. The Spaniard currently plies his trade with mid-table side Espanyol and news broke in April that United scout Toni Lima was monitoring both Lopez and team-mate Aaron Martin during one of the club’s games.
Lopez has a £34 million release clause in his current contract which runs until June 2020, but it’s possible that the Catalan outfit will accept less.
In terms of playing style, there are some similarities between his and Michael Carrick’s, with the Spaniard, who is strong in interceptions, aerial play and clearances, primarily deployed as a ‘shield’ for the back-line. In La Liga this term, Lopez has made the third most clearances of any player (160) as well as 66 interceptions and an average of seven defensive actions per game. He’s active in the game at all times.
Despite having spent the majority of his career in Barcelona with Espanyol, Lopez spent two years in Serie A with Napoli and has consequently sampled a more robust style of play to the one showcased weekly in La Liga. In terms of physicality, he’ll be up to standard in the Premier League but may struggle somewhat with the division’s pace.
#3 Marco Verratti - PSG
Amongst the more expensive and more attacking-minded players on this list, Marco Verratti seems to have been a Manchester United target for as long as he’s been playing. The Italian has risen above a multitude of top central midfielders, including the likes of Grzegorz Krychowiak, Blaise Matuidi, Adrien Rabiot and Christopher Nkunku, to earn his place at the heart of PSG’s midfield and, resultantly, he’s considered one of the hottest young prospects on the continent right now.
The very fact that he has created the third most chances (40) of any PSG player in Ligue 1 this term underpins how varied his playing style is; unlike the other primarily defensive midfielders on this list, Verratti prefers to operate in a box-to-box role, creating danger at one end and limiting it at the other.
He’s maintained the third highest average passing accuracy of players to have featured in more than five league matches and is ultimately at the centre of all action when he plays.
With the £89 million man Pogba in their ranks, the last thing United want is a battle of egos to impress and it could be said that Verratti’s style would not suit Pogba in the same way Carrick’s does, but with a master tactician like Mourinho in the dugout, there’s no saying it could become a very prosperous relationship if each player’s strengths are utilized to full effect.
#4 Eric Dier - Tottenham Hotspur
Despite having marshalled the Spurs defensive line throughout much of the 2016/17 campaign, Englishman Dier is competent as a holding midfield player as well and has put in a shift there for the North London club frequently this term. In 34 Premier League outings, Dier has amassed one shy of 150 interceptions and has averaged six defensive actions per game.
With Dier having only created a total of 13 chances all term, it’s evident his strengths lie in his defensive gameplay, although he is comfortable in maintaining possession of the ball. Ultimately, it’s the former Sporting Lisbon player’s flexibility which would appeal to United the most, given that he can play across the entire back-line, most notably on the right and through the centre, but also in an anchor role in midfield.
Such a trait would be crucial given the Red Devils’ recent injury woes, especially within their defence.
On top of all of that, Dier would also improve the United domestic bias and could even be seen as a young Michael Carrick, ready to replace his England counterpart on a long-term basis.
#5 Toni Kroos - Real Madrid
By far and away the midfielder United fans want to see at Old Trafford more than anyone else next season, Toni Kroos has been both explosive and consistent at the Bernabeu this campaign.
It was rumoured in March that the German would look for a move elsewhere if Madrid were to finish the season trophy-less, something that looks unlikely given their continued involvement in the La Liga and the Champions League.
Across all La Liga matches this term, Kroos has racked up the second most assists (12) and has created the most chances of any Real Madrid player (74), a record he holds in the Champions League as well (31).
Going forward, Kroos is more than competent, rendering him, similar to Verratti, more of a box-to-box midfielder rather than a defensive midfielder. United need an engine in their team like Kroos, who would be more than capable of assuming the role of a dominating figure that the club so desperately need.
