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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken over at Manchester United after the sacking of Mourinho, however, the timing of his appointment might spell trouble for the club in one specific area - the winter transfer window.
Traditionally, Manchester United have not been too active in January, but this time, the situation is a little different. The team has been under-performing so far and reinforcements in January were seen as the only way to salvage the season. Yet, Mourinho's departure has jeopardized the whole situation.
The appointment of Solskjaer is for the rest of the season and a permanent successor is supposed to take over in the summer. It was initially not clear how much the club would be willing to spend in January. However, the whole situation is tricky; on one hand, it seems that reinforcements in January are necessary. On the other hand, the choice of players and the effect it would have on the change of manager in the summer also increases the headache at Old Trafford.
To make matters interesting, it has now emerged that Manchester United will be providing their new Caretaker Manager with a £50m transfer kitty to indulge in. However, Solskjaer will mostly have to work on targets that had been shortlisted before and as such, might not have too much of a say in the entire process.
While the amount might not buy the best of players available, it could be enough to secure Manchester United 2 players who could improve their team and bring balance as well as solidity in the first eleven. Today, we take a look at the 2 realistic targets for Manchester United this January.
#2 Toby Alderweireld
After a summer of drama, the Belgian International might finally move to Old Trafford in January. The Manchester United defence has been the weakest link in the team, already conceding 29 goals in 17 games in the Premier League, keeping just 2 clean sheets so far. They conceded 3 goals each against bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, while Tottenham have also scored thrice against them at home. Mourinho had been crying out for a defender for the entire season and had shortlisted the Tottenham defender as the man to solve United's defensive problems. Right now, it looks like Alderweireld could be the man to steady the leaky defence at Old Trafford.
The Belgian is a ball playing defender, who is strong in tackles. He is an upgrade to the defenders at United's disposal and as such, Solskjaer should be happy to have him over. Alderweireld can work well in a back four as well as a back three and the Norwegian will hope that his presence will kick-start a revival at Old Trafford. Moreover, the Belgian will cost Manchester United around £25m, according to The Sun. This means that there will be money left to spend on another area which has been United's Achilles heel for quite some time.
#1 Douglas Costa (Brazil, Juventus)
The Brazilian has dropped down the pecking order at Juventus and has been in the starting XI in just 4 of his 15 appearances. He has been used as a right winger 9 times this season and this is the area which Manchester United desperately needs reinforcements in.
Douglas Costa is yet to score this season, as he struggles to make an impact after the arrival of Ronaldo. He had scored 6 goals from 47 appearances last season with Juventus and has not warmed up to life in Serie A since moving from Bayern Munich last season. As such, the Brazilian might be open to a move to Old Trafford, where he will certainly have more chances to flourish.
Even though he is predominantly left-footed, the Brazilian is extremely versatile, with the capability to play across the front three, but he is most comfortable on the right wing, where his speed, trickery and ability to beat his marker is second to none. Moreover, Costa can cut inside and shoot as well as move outside and send in crosses, an ability that is a glaring absence in the right wing at Old Trafford. His ability to stretch the defence by hugging the touchline will work well for midfield runners like Pogba and Herrera.
The only constraint Manchester United might face is the money that Juventus might ask for. The Serie A side is expected to ask for £36.12m, however, they could be coaxed into selling him for less.
