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After a rough first half of the Premier League campaign, Manchester United made a miraculous recovery to finish in the top four of the league table in 2019/20. The signing of Bruno Fernandes midway through the campaign proved to be the difference-maker for the Red Devils. The Portuguese single-handedly galvanised a Manchester United side that needed inspiration despite their talented squad.
Fernandes' eight goals and seven assists in the league were vital for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men. The 26-year-old rather poetically scored the goal that would guarantee their top-four finish in the league, converting the spot-kick against Leicester City at the King Power.
While there was a lot of anticipation heading into the transfer window on the back of a third-place finish, United's business so far has left a lot to be desired. The English record champions have only completed one signing, Donny van de Beek of Ajax, so far in the summer window.
They have been continually linked with moves for a host of players including Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho, but there has been no substantial progress on any front. However, that isn't to say that the Red Devils won't sign any further players, especially given that United have never really been synonymous with getting their business done early on in the window.
Here, we take a look at the best potential starting XI that Solskjaer could field in the 2020/21 campaign, and a few noteworthy alternatives he has up his sleeve.
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
Manchester United legend David de Gea has come under immense criticism over the last couple of years. After one of the most impressive individual campaigns by a goalkeeper in 2017/18, the Spaniard has been far from his best over this period. De Gea has made costly errors which led to his side, dropping crucial points in the race for the top four.
Despite Dean Henderson returning to the club to fight it out for the number one spot with De Gea, the former Atletico Madrid keeper will be expected to resume his duties as United's go-to keeper. His form for Spain during the UEFA Nations League was promising, and De Gea is likely to be given another season as the number one at Old Trafford.
Also read: Top 5 young players of this football season (2019/20)
Defence: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Sergio Reguilon
Two of last summer's first-team signings Aaron Wan-Bissaka and skipper Harry Maguire are both expected to resume their responsibilities after relatively impressive debut campaigns. Although the former's stellar form fizzled out towards the end of the campaign, it was more to do with fatigue than an actual dip in quality.
Maguire played every single minute of Manchester United's Premier League campaign last year, and despite his off-field troubles, the Englishman will be United's go-to centre-half when available.
The Red Devils are reportedly in the market for a pacey centre-half to partner Maguire, but going by the state of United's transfer business, it appears increasingly unlikely that they will manage to sign one. If that remains to be the case, Lindelof will be set to resume as Maguire's partner.
After a thoroughly impressive season on loan at Sevilla, Sergio Reguilon has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United. Current left-back Luke Shaw's injury woes have led to him playing just over 50% of the minutes available to him, and is currently out on the sidelines.
Reguilon, voted as LaLiga Santander 2019/20's best left-back, will be a massive upgrade at left-back and will undoubtedly be an astute addition for the reported €25-30m price.
Midfield: Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United's first-choice midfield next summer is unlikely to look too different than their 2019/20 set up. Fernandes' arrival has added another dimension to their relatively lacklustre midfield, and the Portuguese has struck up a glorious understanding with Paul Pogba in the middle.
The pair have combined very well so far, and although the sample size is relatively small, the signs are extremely promising for the superstar duo. Manchester United have scored some majestic goals with both Pogba and Fernandes on the pitch, such as their wondergoal against Sheffield United which was created by a slick sequence of play between them, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford.
Pogba and Fernandes will be anchored by Premier League veteran Nemanja Matic, who was recently offered a contract extension by the club. Matic began the season poorly, but much like many of his teammates, the Serb came alive in the second half of the campaign with a string of solid performances.
The 32-year-old is widely expected to resume his role as the chief destroyer in midfield, and will provide a superb base for his creative counterparts to function on.
Although Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Liverpool target Thiago, it is difficult to envisage them wrapping up a deal amidst interest from the champions and Barcelona. Should they complete a deal for the Spaniard, he could replace Matic in this midfield.
Also read: 5 LaLiga players who would be perfect for the Premier League
Attack: Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho
Both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are fresh off their career-best seasons at the club. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's approach has benefitted both players massively, and they would hope to build on their impressive seasons at Old Trafford.
Martial breached the 20-goal barrier for United this year, registering 23 strikes across all competitions and setting up a further six. Rashford scored 18 goals across the board for the Red Devils despite being forced to play all across the frontline due to a host of injuries. The Englishman is expected to continue playing off the left-hand side in the 2020/21 campaign.
The player to complete the attack is undisputedly Manchester United's most anticipated signing in recent seasons. The Red Devils' interest in Jadon Sancho has been well-documented, and they have been locked in negotiations with Borussia Dortmund for quite a while now.
Should he complete his move to Old Trafford, the former Manchester City winger will be a monumental upgrade on United's existing options in attack.
The Englishman is coming off one of the most impressive seasons by any Bundesliga youngster in the league's history. Sancho scored 17 goals and set up a further 16 in just 25 starts (and seven substitute appearances) for the Germans.
The Dortmund star is set to cost a British record fee of £108m, and is widely expected to move to the red half of Manchester this summer. A front three of Rashford, Martial, and Sancho is undoubtedly going to be a devastating prospect for any team to face, and will be moulded into Solskjaer's vision of Manchester United.
Also read: 5 Currently active players with most assists in Europe
Alternatives
Manchester United's squad depth has been an issue that has plagued them for a few seasons. Several players fall into the category of being considered 'deadwood' who United are actively trying to offload, such as the likes of Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Andreas Pereira, and many others.
That being said, Solskjaer still does have a few very impressive options should he need them off the bench or from the start of certain games. Here, we analyse a few notable alternatives available at Solskjaer's disposal.
Donny van de Beek for Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United's most recent acquisition is one of the most exciting profiles of midfielders in Europe. Van de Beek is an attacking midfielder by trade, but has been known to be extremely versatile in nature. The former Ajax man has come to be known for his lethal movement in the final third and ability to find the back of the net from tight angles after ghosting into the box. He would directly solve one of United's most pressing concerns, which is a lack of a reliable deputy for Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese looked visibly burnt out towards the end of the campaign due to playing a large percentage of minutes available to him. Should Fernandes need a rest or face a dip in form, Manchester United have a precious option in Van de Beek to freshen up the XI. The Dutchman could even fill in for Paul Pogba, albeit in a different system, should the need arise.
Mason Greenwood for Marcus Rashford
There is little doubt over Mason Greenwood's gifted talent on the football pitch. The teenager is a phenomenal finisher, earning massive praise from his coach, who in turn was one of Manchester United's deadliest strikers in front of goal. Greenwood scored a whopping 17 goals last season, levelling the all-time Manchester United record for most goals scored as a teenager along with the likes of Wayne Rooney and George Best.
After a mighty impressive season, it would be difficult to keep Greenwood out of first-team action for too long, and he could slot into the attack with ease in place of Marcus Rashford. Due to Greenwood's versatility, he could essentially slot into any of the three attacking spots, but Rashford has struggled with injuries in recent times due to which Carrington's crown jewel is likely to deputise for his compatriot.
Fred for Nemanja Matic
Manchester United's £50m signing from 2018/19 had a superb spell in the first-team in the absence of Paul Pogba before Fernandes arrived in January. However, the Brazilian has found it difficult to win his place back, and even when he did play, he lacked match sharpness and was often poor in possession.
With Matic having already turned 32, it would be difficult to imagine him playing week in week out, due to which Fred is likely to step in for the Serb. Should he regain his confidence and the form he showed earlier on in the 2019/20 campaign, the former Shakhtar Donetsk man will be an excellent deputy to the two-time Premier League winner.
Daniel James for Jadon Sancho
Right wing has been a problem position for Manchester United for the best part of a decade, with the likes of Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, and many other players being shoe-horned into the slot. While Sancho instantly solves this issue, he cannot be expected to start all 50-60 games that United could potentially have to play this year.
Despite his poor goalscoring form, Dan James offers United an alternative in the wide areas. The Welshman's breathtaking pace and ability to beat his full-back will give the Red Devils' frontline a more direct option. Although he is a vastly different player to Sancho both in terms of approach and quality, he could still have a lot to offer to this United side, particularly against tiring legs towards the end of games.
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