Top Five: Manchester United midfield targets instead of Thiago Alcantara

Ilkay Gundogan

Scout Report Gundogan was the magician at the controls of the Borussia Dortmund midfield last season as the swept all but Bayern away in Europe. Gundogan is a sublime passer of the ball and a very easy mover. He floats around the field moving the ball to teammates and then making himself available to take the ball back. What sets him apart from just passing midfielders is his ability when running with the ball at his feet. If United did indeed bid on Thiago Alcantara then Gundogan has a similar talent for dribbling. These searing runs through the middle of the field combined with tight footwork and the intelligence to pick the correct pass when he reaches dangerous areas make him a huge threat.

How much? Again, not cheap. Having sold Mario Gotze Dortmund aren’t going to want to sell again easily. But, they’ve just spent £21m on Mkhitaryan so an offer of £35m for Gundogan would be very tempting. United may be ruing Gotze’s move as without that they may well have stood a stronger chance. Still, it’s worth testing their resolve.