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Manchester United are out of the Champions League after being knocked out by Barcelona in the quarter-finals and are fighting an uphill battle to finish inside the top-4 in the Premier League at the end of the season.
After winning 14 games in his first 17 matches in charge, the wheels seem to have fallen off for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his side have lost 5 of their last 7 games. Recent performances have been below-par and the 'new manager bounce' seems to have faded.
The Red Devils are far away from competing for major titles and will require a complete overhaul of the squad to turn them into contenders. The Norwegian will have a massive job on his hands and will look to rebuild the squad in the summer in order to catch the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League and assemble a squad capable of competing in Europe next season.
Solskjaer has already made it public that there will be signings in the summer and reports suggest that he wants at least five new signings this summer. But to get that many quality players, United will have to spend north of £250 million. However, the Norwegian manager can make quality acquisitions to his squad without spending anything.
Many high-profile players in Europe are running out of contracts in the summer and will be easily attainable. We look at 5 high-profile players who will be free agents in the summer and can massively improve Manchester United's squad.
#5 Rafael (Lyon)
After leaving Manchester United in 2015, Rafael has made a name for himself in Ligue 1 with Lyon. The 28-year-old is running out of contract at the French club and is looking for a move in the summer.
The Red Devils need a replacement for outgoing Antonio Valencia and Rafael could be a perfect fit for them. The Brazilian full-back has played under Sir Alex Ferguson which means he will easily fit into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's setup.
He will also add experience to United's backline and provide competition for places. A move for the full-back should be a no-brainer for Manchester United.
Also see : Fantasy Premier League , Fantasy Premier League Tips, EPL Transfer News
#4 Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid):
The 33-year-old is out of contract at Atletico Madrid in the summer and it seems like he will be available for free in the summer as renewal looks unlikely now. The Brazilian left-back might be on the wrong side of 30, but hasn't lost his pace and is still going strong.
Luis has made 26 appearances for the Los Rojiblancos this season and has put on some brilliant defensive displays for his side. The Brazilian is winning 2.4 tackles and is completing 2 interceptions per game in all competitions for Atletico Madrid this season.
It looks like Matteo Darmian is on his way out of Manchester United in the summer and they will need a player to provide backup for Luke Shaw at left-back. And Luis could be the perfect fit for them. The 33-year-old has an abundance of experience at the top level and will prove to be an asset for the Red Devils.
#3 Hector Herrera (FC Porto):
The 29-year-old is in his 6th season with Porto and has been a great servant for the Dragons. The Mexican has scored 25 goals in his 160 appearances for the club. But he is out of contract in the summer and will end his 6-year stay at the club. The midfielder is heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, but there is no deal between the two parties yet.
Ander Herrera is running out of contract at Manchester United in the summer and reports suggest that he will leave for Paris Saint Germain when his contract expires in the summer. And the Red Devils can replace the Spaniard with the Mexican. The dynamic midfielder will be a like-for-like replacement for Ander Herrera and the Red Devils will be able to fill the void left by the Spaniard without spending a huge amount of money.
#2 Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid):
The 33-year-old has been a long-term servant for the Los Rojiblancos and has made 379 appearances for Atletico Madrid in his 14 years at the club. But the Uruguayan centre-back looks destined to leave in the summer when his contract expires. His situation has alerted some elite clubs across Europe.
Manchester United tried to sign the centre-back on the deadline day of last summer's transfer window and even triggered his release clause, but the Uruguayan rejected the chance to sign for the Red Devils. Manchester United have been leaking goals this season and will be looking to add a world-class centre-back to their squad in the summer to fix their defence.
And a move for Godin could be on the cards. The 33-year-old will bring loads of experience to a relatively young Manchester United backline and will be a leader at the back.
#1 Adrien Rabiot (Paris Saint Germain):
The 24-year-old came through the ranks at PSG and has transformed into one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world. But the midfielder has failed to reach an agreement over his contract with the club and will be available for free in the summer. The Frenchmen is wanted by many elite clubs in Europe which includes the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
A move for Rabiot should be a no-brainer for Manchester United. A player with Rabiot's quality will generally cost Manchester United north of £50 million, but they can get him for free. They also need personnel in midfield as Ander Herrera looks on his way out in the summer and Matic is on the wrong side of 30.
The midfielder has proven himself in Ligue 1 and the Champions League and will be a quality acquisition to their squad. But the Red Devils need to act fast if they want to lure Rabiot to Old Trafford as there is lots of competition for his signature.
