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Manchester United under Louis van Gaal have still not hit the highs of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era. Even after spending a ton of cash in the summer transfer window, United are nowhere close to challenging for the Premier League title. And as the race for the Champions League spots hots up, United need to ensure that they don’t drop any silly points at least from now.
Van Gaal’s tactics this season especially the 3-5-2 is not universally popular with United fans. But the main problem for the Dutch manager is that he has a big lopsided squad and he has to keep all of his players happy. In a squad filled with numerous number 10s and strikers, Rafael is the only recognised right back. Of course, these issues had to be settled in the summer, but let’s take a look at some of the players United can sign so that they can comfortably play a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 diamond.
Mats Hummels
Manchester United desperately need an experienced leader at the back. After losing Vidic and Ferdinand in a single season, the defence is young and not settled.
Someone like Hummels (who has had a torrid season at Borussia Dortmund, by the way) will provide the much-needed experience and calmness at the back which United have been missing this season.
Kevin De Bruyne
Strange though it might sound, De Bruyne will be a very good signing for United if it happens. On the back of a devastating performance against Bayern Munich, the Belgian winger has already played in the Premier League and it seems, like many of ex-Chelsea players, the club let him go too soon.
Nathaniel Clyne
Although Southampton boss Ronald Koeman confirmed that they received no offer from United for the right back, Manchester United desperately need cover in the position if they have to play with a back four. Van Gaal doesn’t seem to trust Rafael, and Valencia is just a temporary fix. The Colombian seems to be in eternal limbo, he is neither good at defending nor at attacking at the moment.
Aleksandar Dragovic
As mentioned earlier Manchester United are in a desperate need for a new centre back. To play a diamond or a 4-3-3, they need a defence in which the whole team has confidence in. At the moment, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling don’t fit in that category.
Dynamo Kiev’s Dragovic might be a hit-or-miss signing. But at the rumoured £11 million, he can be bought and United can afford to take the chance.
David De Gea
Signing De Gea and keeping him at Old Trafford with a new contract is the first and foremost thing Ed Woodward should think of when he gets up in the morning. The Spaniard has been United’s best player this season by a large distance and it would be foolish to let him reach the final year of his contract without signing an extension.
Real Madrid are interested in De Gea and we all know what happened last time when Real were interested in United’s best player.
