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Manchester United suffered a disappointing start to Premier League campaign this season, accumulating a paltry 26 points after 17 games, their lowest tally at this stage since 1990-91. Jose Mourinho lost his job after 2 seasons at the club, with United struggling at 6th spot in the League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed on an interim basis to steady the ship until the season end.
United won 14 of the 19 games under Solskjaer, which has convinced the bosses to appoint him as a permanent manager of the club. Red Devils are now at par with Spurs with 61 points in the league and looking healthy to clinch the 4th spot, but there is an 18 point gap between United and table toppers Liverpool. Such a prominent gap pinpoints the need for reinforcements within the United squad to compete and challenge Liverpool and the "noisy neighbours" Manchester City.
Let's look at 4 players United should sign in the imminent summer transfer window to challenge for major silverware next season.
#1 Ruben Neves(Midfielder)
Wolverhampton Wanderers are enjoying a terrific PL campaign so far, sitting on 7th place in their first season after securing promotion to the Premiership. They have qualified for FA Cup semi-final as well, beating Manchester United in the last round.
Ruben Neves sits deep in midfield, recovers the ball, and dictates the tempo of his team's play. The Portuguese midfielder has averaged 56.33 passes per match in the league, with 174 accurate long balls. He averages 2.3 interceptions per match and 237 ball recoveries so far this season.
Manchester United need a defensive midfielder who could dictate the game for them, as they find it difficult to control games and create chances when they dominate ball possession. Neves can play an essential part in rectifying United's weakness in this area.
Manchester City and Juventus are also interested in securing his services. Wolves, on the other hand, have put a whopping £100m price tag on him. United, however, is reluctant to pay such a swollen figure for the player who is not established and Man City look more interested in him, as they are looking to find a backup for Fernandinho.
#2 Raphael Varane(Center-Back)
Raphael Varane is reportedly mulling over his future options as he looks to bring his trophy-laden spell at Los Blancos to an end. The Frenchman has won 3 consecutive UCL titles and recently tasted success with his national side, winning the World Cup.
Several reports in France and Spain suggest that he has told Madrid that he wants to leave the club. The arrival of Brazilian center back Eder Militao from Porto next season might have unsettled him at the club.
The French defender made 91 clearances and won 74 aerial duels in La Liga, which is more than any player in the league this season. Varane is a world-class operator and could transform the porous United defense on his own. Red Devils need a player of his caliber to bring their defense at par with the league's best.
United need to pay a transfer fee in the range of £80m - £100m for Varane. He is still 25 years old and could fix United's defense for at least next 5-6 seasons. Ed Woodward looks to sign players who are commercially appealing and Varane fits the bill perfectly.
#3 Aaron Wan Bissaka(Right-Back)
Despite starting a few games last season Aaron Wan Bissaka has convinced the Crystal Palace manager, Roy Hodgson, by handling Wilfried Zaha in the training sessions. The English youngster has not looked back since, putting solid performances for the club every weekend.
Wan Bissaka is winger converted into full-back, due to which he possesses silky dribbling skills and is nimble-footed. His defensive attributes are the ones to be taken note of, making 138 tackles and recovering 200 balls. Only seven players have managed to dribble successfully against him in 1v1, nullifying the likes of Leroy Sane and Sadio Mane. He is the first player in Europe's top 5 leagues to make 100 tackles.
Crystal Palace have marked right-back's price at £40m, which has made him United's priority target in this summer transfer window. The Englishman's defensive skills alongside his flair would energize the depleted right-hand side of United lineup. Although Crossing is an area which Aaron needs to work on, but overall he provides defensive solidarity which United has been craving all season.
#4 Jadon Sancho(Right Winger)
Jadon Sancho has been nothing short of brilliant this season in the Bundesliga. He is an instrumental figure in Borussia Dortmund's title challenge this season. The 19-year-old is one of the most creative players in Europe with 13 assists and 8 goals in the Bundesliga.
The English teenager on an average makes 3.2 successful take-ons, creates 2.1 chances per game, and averages 2 key passes per game, which is more than any Manchester United player this season. Sancho's tally of 13 assists in the Bundesliga until now is the highest in Europe's top 5 leagues.
Borussia Dortmund's sporting director, Michael Zorc, said that he is not willing to sell Sancho next summer. Manchester United should make him their transfer priority as he offers a natural width on the right-hand side of the field and could provide much-needed dimension to United's left side dominated attack.
