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Manchester United have apparently jotted down a long list of players as alternative options to Jadon Sancho.
One among them is Real Madrid's wantaway winger Gareth Bale, according to reports from the Athletic. The other players mooted for a transfer to Manchester United are Juventus' Douglas Costa and Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman.
The above source claims that although Borussia Dortmund announced that Sancho would be staying at the Signal Iduna Park for at least one year, talks between the German giants and Manchester United are still in progress as the Red Devils aim to sign their longstanding target in the near future.
Sancho has been linked with a move to Manchester United for a long time, but Borussia Dortmund's £108 million valuation of him led to difficulty in negotiations, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Costa and Bale the only viable options for Manchester United
The move failed to materialise after Borussia Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc poured cold water on Manchester United's plans, confirming:
“Jadon Sancho will play with us next season. The decision is final. I think that answers all the questions. Last summer we adjusted Jadon's salary to match the development of his performances. So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then."
As a result, Manchester United are lining up potential alternatives, with the likes of Bale and Costa included.
Coman is another player reportedly on their wish list, as Leroy Sane's arrival at Bayern Munich could dent his chances of playing regularly. However, the Athletic's Laurie Whitwell believes the German champions are unwilling to offload him.
Jack Grealish's £70 million price tag is another concerning number, while Kai Havertz is clearly closer to joining Chelsea with talks between Bayer Leverkusen and the West Londoners believed to be at an advanced stage.
Therefore, Douglas Costa, at 29, becomes a good choice. A mere three goals for the Old Lady makes for grim reading, but he could be a short-term fix if Manchester United are willing to fork out the money.
Another man on the list is Bale, who is not short of talent and enterprise but of match practice. He has been witnessed dozing off in the stands more often than not, and was not even included in the squad that travelled to Manchester City for the Champions League Round of 16 second leg.
His wages are understood to be a massive problem for any side that wants him, while his agent Jonathan Barnett surprisingly affirmed that the Manchester United target would not be leaving, earlier in July.
He had announced:
“Gareth’s fine. He has two years left on his contract. He likes living in Madrid and he’s going nowhere. He is still as good as anyone else in the team. Of course, there’s been interest but there’s hardly a club in the world which can afford him. It’s a great loss that he’s not in the Real Madrid team at the moment but he’ll not leave."
Manchester United have a plethora of options, but it's up to them to choose between compromise and quality.
On a footballing note, Manchester United are presently gearing up for a Europa League semifinal against Sevilla.
