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Another day, another big-name player gets linked with Manchester United!
The finances of many clubs have taken a hit due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, there is a consensus that clubs which are not as wealthy as United, Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid or Barcelona may have to sell their best players to avoid bankruptcy. Besides, a shortage of football news has led to some outlets making up stories to sell their publications.
In this article, let us dive into the Manchester United transfer rumours to analyse if there is any possibility of the seven specific deals coming to fruition.
#7 Antoine Griezmann
Links with Manchester United: It was summer 2015 when Antoine Griezmann was first linked with a move to Manchester United. And that would have been a fantastic move back then. It would have been music to the ears of United fans had the club signed Griezmann instead of Angel di Maria in 2014 or Alexis Sanchez in 2018.
The player: Antoine Griezmann is a fabulous player. He has played the final of the last two major tournaments with France, opening the scoring in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final against Croatia. Greizmann, who has also propelled Atletico Madrid to two UEFA Champions League finals, moved to Barcelona last summer for a whopping € 120 million.
Current situation: The Manchester United transfer ship seems to have sailed for Griezmann. The Frenchman is 29 and hasn't had an excellent season for the Blaugrana. United, under Solskjaer, are looking to buy players on their way up.
There is nothing to suggest that Griezmann is on his way down. He has just had an underwhelming season that may happen to any player not named Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
However, United aren't willing to sign ageing players on big wages anymore. Another reason he will not sign for United is that the cost of such a transfer would be prohibitive.
Transfer possibility rating: 0/10. With cash deals seemingly tricky in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly likely that a swap deal may be arranged involving Griezmann and PSG's Neymar.
#6 Saul Niguez
Links with Manchester United: Saul Niguez was first linked with a move to United in the summer of 2015. That was when Ed Woodward supposedly overruled manager Louis van Gaal, and United chose not to sign him despite his price being as low as €25 million.
The player: On his day, the box-to-box midfielder is a world-beater. His performance in the first leg of the Round of 16 UEFA Champions League tie was impeccable as he scored the only goal of the game early in the first half. That goal gave Atletico the cushion to sit deep and put on a defensive masterclass. Niguez was arguably the best player on the pitch in a game which also featured Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Thomas Partey.
Current situation: Niguez' release clause has now ballooned to € 135 million. Atletico Madrid, like most clubs, have taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and may well have to sell their star player. But it is highly unlikely that the transfer fee would be lower than €100 million. United would love a player of the class of Saul Niguez, but the club has other priorities, making this deal a non-starter.
Transfer possibility rating: 0/10. Better not call Saul, certainly not at that price!
#5 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Links with Manchester United: Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was first linked with United following the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The midfielder shone alongside United man Nemanja Matic although Serbia exited at the group stage. His performances for Lazio in 2018-19 catapulted his worth to over €100 million.
The Player: A creative yet hard-working central midfielder, Milinkovic-Savic is the archetypal modern footballer. He can create chances and finish them off too. His high defensive work-rate is as vital as his creative abilities are in a Lazio side that has challenged Juventus' undisputed reign atop the Seria A.
Current situation: Milinkovic-Savic's performances dropped off a cliff following the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but the Serb has been at it again this season.
With Lazio finally looking capable of challenging for major honours, it seems improbable for Milinkovic-Savic, who has been at the club for half a decade, to leave without winning a major trophy.
Besides, the 25-year-old seems to be the type of midfielder preferred by former boss Jose Mourinho and not current United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Transfer Possibility rating: 1/10. A transfer to United may only seem plausible if Paul Pogba is on his way out. Milinkovic-Savic may instead end up joining Tottenham where it's fair to say Jose Mourinho isn't too happy with Tanguy Ndombele.
#4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Links with Manchester United: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was first linked with Manchester United in January 2018. But that only proved to be a tactic by his agent/Borussia Dortmund to drive his price upwards as he eventually joined Arsenal on the deadline day of the winter transfer window.
The player: Aubameyang is a proven goal-scorer as evidenced by the fact that he won the Premier League Golden Boot last season, scoring 22 goals. Jamie Vardy is having a party this season with 19 goals. But 'Auba' is only a couple of goals behind him in a struggling Arsenal side beleaguered with managerial changes and plagued by inconsistency. Aubameyang scored ten goals after signing for Arsenal in the January transfer window in 2018. No one has scored more goals for Arsenal since his transfer to the Gunners.
Current situation: While Aubameyang has scored more goals than any United forward this season, he turns 31 in June, an age-bracket United are not looking to sign players from. With rumoured financial troubles at Arsenal, Aubameyang may be available at a cut-price. Should the Gabonese international be on the move, he is likely to end up at Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Transfer possibility rating: 3/10. It'd be great for Manchester United to sign Arsenal's best player for the third time in a decade. But considering how the last one (Alexis Sanchez) panned out, United may give this one a pass.
#3 Kalidou Koulibaly
Links with Manchester United: Kalidou Koulibaly has been linked with Manchester United for the past two seasons. He was thought to be the second-choice had the club been unable to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester last season.
Koulibaly has been again strongly linked to United following the club's player feuds with Napoli Chairman Aurelio De Laurentis last year. It is also alleged that the player himself wants a move away from Italy due to incidents involving racist chants from Lazio and Inter Milan fans.
The player: A towering presence at 6 ft 2 and appropriately nicknamed K2, Koulibaly is a physically strong yet elegant player. Adept at bringing the ball out from the back, he is known for his pace and aggressive tackling. Koulibaly is proficient in the air, rarely missing defensive headers, and is also a threat in the opposition's box. On a few occasions, he has played in defensive midfield for Napoli.
Current situation: Koulibaly is adored at Napoli, and the admiration is mutual. However, the player feuds with the club Chairman may lead to a mass exodus of players from the Neopolitan club. While he would prove to be a fantastic partner for Maguire, Koulibaly turns 29 in June, and may not be as attractive for United as he might have been a couple of years ago.
Transfer possibility rating: 3/10. Koulibaly is more likely to move to France, the country he grew up in. Paris Saint Germain, the French capital club, has been looking to sign a replacement for the ageing Thiago Silva.
#2 Harry Kane
Links with Manchester United: Harry Kane was first linked with Manchester United in 2015. The club needed a striker following the departures of Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and loan signing Radamel Falcao, as well as Danny Welbeck a year earlier. Kane was again heavily linked with United before he signed a new contract with Spurs tying him down at Tottenham until 2024.
The player: England captain Harry Kane is a world-class striker, capable of scoring all types of goals, from tap-ins to screamers from outside the box. He was the top scorer in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice in a row.
In 2015-16 Kane scored 25 goals and then netted 29 goals in 2016-17, the most by any player in the EPL in those two seasons. With 29 goals the next season, the English striker was denied a third EPL golden boot by Liverpool's Mo Salah. Kane led Spurs to their maiden UEFA Champions League final in 2019, playing the game despite being injured.
Current situation: Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy is known to be a difficult negotiator. With four years left in Kane's contract, a transfer fee o in the range of £200 million has been mooted. No one can envisage any club putting up such a humongous sum on one player, in a market affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transfer possibility rating: 0/10. At that price, and with Kane's recent injury history, it would be imprudent for Manchester United to sign him.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Links with Manchester United: Any United fan can write a lengthy novel about Cristiano Ronaldo's links with Manchester United. However, we shall restrict ourselves to Ronaldo's rumoured United retur in the post-Ferguson era.
Ronaldo has been linked with United in virtually every transfer window since the 2013-14 season. Ed Woodward tried to make him his first signing in 2013, but you can't fault Ronaldo for opting to play for Carlo Ancelotti and not for David Moyes.
The player: Well, what's not been written about him? Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or trophies and five Champions League titles to go with three Premier League titles, two La Liga titles, one Seria A title, and numerous cup titles. It is a trophy cabinet matched or bettered by only a handful of players. Real Madrid's all-time top scorer has a realistic claim of being the best player ever.
Current situation: With Juventus' dire financial results and an ageing squad, Ronaldo may be sold by the Turin-based club. While Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down at 35 and would be a great mentor for United forwards Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood, this would not be a move consistent with United's recent transfer dealings.
Transfer possibility rating: 1/10. It's a one and not a zero only for the romantic element of a United fan wanting Ronaldo to pull on the number 7 United shirt for one last hurrah. Realistically, should Ronaldo be on the move, he is likely to return to Real Madrid.
