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Manchester United have made a dismal start to their Premier League campaign by securing just ten points from opening nine games. Amidst this difficult situation, the Red Devils were on the cusp of securing three points against the league leaders Liverpool till a late tap-in from Adam Lallana cancelled out Marcus Rashford's first-half strike.
Regardless of the result against their arch-rivals, Manchester United have not been at their best and are seeking to find a solution to avoid further misery. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was heavily criticised for holding onto players until the final days of the summer transfer window before eventually permitting them to leave the club. A lot of the blame was thrown at the manager because it was a huge gamble for the side to operate without proper replacements and a thin squad with not enough depth.
The lack of experience and a proper plan B have caught them off-guard this campaign. The Norwegian is conscious about the fact that players are needed in some positions to steer them to them into the UEFA Champions League next season.
With the January transfer window on the horizon, here are five players who could help Solskjaer fix his problems.
#5 Alejandro Grimaldo (SL Benfica)
Alejandro Grimaldo is one of the finest defenders in the Portuguese top division. The Spanish international was on Pep Guardiola's wishlist following Benjamin Mendy's long-term injury, but the move didn't go through after Aleksander Zinchenko's consistent displays.
The 24-year-old broke through La Masia and played for Barcelona B between 2011 and 2015. During this four-year stint, he went on to make 92 appearances and scored six goals in the process.
The left-back intended to run down his contract at Nou Camp. However, Benfica came calling in January 2015 and signed him for €1.5 million to lure him to Estadio da Luz in a five-and-a-half year deal.
Since putting pen to paper, Grimaldo has eclipsed his game by constantly plying his trade in the Portuguese league, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa League. The former Barcelona defender, who was part of the Europa League 2018/19.
Luke Shaw has been plagued with injuries, while Ashley Young's contract is running down next summer. To bolster the squad, Grimaldo could be considered as one of the options to fix that problem for the Red Devils.
#4 Julian Weigl (Borussia Dortmund)
Julian Weigl signed a five-year deal with Borussia Dortmund in 2016 and is yet to extend his deal. Similar to Grimaldo, the German's contract runs down within two years and could be available for a cut-price deal in the forthcoming transfer windows.
The contract talks have not begun yet since he's eyeing a move away from the Signal Iduna Park after being an understudy in the midfield and defence. Still only 24, Weigl could do himself favour should he decide to leave Borussia Dortmund to play in his preferred position frequently.
Weigl is an intelligent passer and can play in the freeflowing manner demanded by Solskjaer. He has started five Bundesliga games under Lucien Favre this season, wherein he has done immaculately well to fill in for Thomas Delaney and Mats Hummels on occassion.
Manchester United currently have Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Fred as defensive midfielders. However, Julian Weigl is head and shoulders above the above-mentioned trio.
#3 Moussa Dembele (Olympique Lyon)
When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was Manchester United's temporary boss, the Red Devils averaged more than two goals per game. However, they have managed to garner only 0.86 goals per game since their memorable victory in Paris Saint-Germain in last season's UEFA Champions League.
The Norwegian always spoke about the importance of taking the game to the opposition at full-throttle. However, Solskjaer is now being criticised for a pessimistic brand of football and the lack of a secondary plan when they struggle to penetrate opposition's defence. Lyon forward Moussa Dembele could solve these issues.
Romelu Lukaku singlehandedly won games against Arsenal, Southampton, and Paris Saint-Germain last season. The Belgian's strength and his hold-up play gave opponents plenty to think about. Physicality, aerial prowess, and goalscoring ability; the former Celtic forward has it all and is a different player compared to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
During his debut season with Lyon, the striker managed to find the back of the net on 20 occasions from 46 appearances. He picked up from where he left last season with six goals in 10 outings this campaign and could be the strike United need to turn their season around.
#2 Bruno Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon)
Bruno Fernandes was strongly linked over a potential move to Manchester United throughout the summer transfer window, but it never materialised. The Portuguese international is valued around €70 million by Sporting CP.
The midfielder has an abundance of energy to press higher up the pitch and retrieve the ball. His ability to pick out passes and score piledrivers from outside the box are other important traits. He has showcased his talent by scoring goals and notching up plenty of assists over the last two seasons.
Fernandes has 63 goal contributions in 69 games for the Portuguese club and his numbers did attract a host of clubs in the last window, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid.
Paul Pogba has lacked consistency by performing in patches since re-joining Manchester United three years ago. Fernandes, as a number 10, could offer creativity and goals. The Red Devils would probably have to pay a huge sum to Sporting for his services but their need to qualify for the UEFA Champions League could force Solskjaer's hands.
#1 Florian Thauvin (Marseille)
Florian Thauvin has been one of the best performers in the Ligue 1 since he joined the club in 2016 January. The French international has managed to stack up double digits in the goals and assists tally over the last couple of seasons.
The right-winger flopped with Newcastle United as a youngster and an approach from Manchester United could change his mind. Thauvin could be eager to thrive in the most-watched league, where he would like to showcase his abilities to the world.
The forward's appearances have been limited this campaign because of the on-going ankle problem. It has been a torrid start to this season with injuries but his on-field talent can never be questioned.
He doesn't have the breakneck pace of a Daniel James or Marcus Rashford. However, Thauvin can pick out passes and get in right positions inside the penalty box to increase his goalscoring exploits, which is a requirement for the current Manchester United side.
Florian Thauvin operates through the right-wing. If Solskjaer registers interest in him, he could prove to be an effective solution for the Norwegian.
