Man Utd manager Jose Mourinho wants more signings and the club have
plenty of targets ahead of the summer and winter transfer windows. Here
is who they could sign.
A right-back
Antonio Valencia will be 33 at the start of next season and United
supporters expect a young heir to be competing with him, particularly
after Jose Mourinho commented that City 'buy the full-backs for the
price of the strikers'.
Ashley Young's United renaissance began at right-back against Basel and
he was their best performer on Boxing Day. Despite Young's consistent
class this term, he is 32 and still viewed as a stop-gap on the right or
the left.
United took a passing interest in Serge Aurier early last year before it
was overstated in the French media as Paris Saint-Germain attempted to
smoke out a buyer in Tottenham.
Mourinho had the St Etienne right-back Kevin Malcuit scouted but passed
on the Frenchman and he switched to Lille. PSG's Belgian international
Thomas Meunier has already curried favour with United's online community
by revealing he plays as them on Fifa 18.
A left-back
Luke Shaw has made a triumphant return to the first-team and was one of a
handful of players who performed against Burnley. He could still
salvage his United career but doubt lingers as long as Mourinho is at
the club and the left-back position is still very much owned by Young.
United are monitoring Tottenham's Danny Rose, amid reported interest in
Juventus' Alex Sandro, and scouted Celtic's Kieran Tierney before he
inked a new deal. Mourinho wanted a left wing-back in the summer and
possibly intended on converting Ivan Perisic into one had United met
Internazionale's £50 million valuation.
A central midfielder (or two)
Marouane Fellaini is 30 and undecided about his United future. Michael
Carrick, 36, may be forced to retire in the summer. Nemanja Matic and
Ander Herrera are in their late 20s. Mourinho praised Jesse Lingard and
Henrikh Mkhitaryan for bringing dynamism to the side on Tuesday and more
is required in central midfield.
Mourinho considered Renato Sanches and Blaise Matuidi during the summer
United brought Paul Pogba back and is seeking a creative option to
supplement the France international. United scouts have cast their eyes
over Borussia Dortmund duo Julian Weigl and Christian Pulisic.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Andreas Pereira will return from year-long loans
in the summer and could reduce the average age, only Mourinho appears
to consider Fosu-Mensah as a right-back and Pereira has started fewer
United games in three-and-a-half years than Scott McTominay has in seven
months.
A winger
That 'fourth player' who eluded Mourinho in the summer was Perisic and
United are now looking at a markedly different profile of winger in
Bordeaux's Malcolm. Perisic is 28, played in European Championships and a
World Cup and starting for a title-chasing Inter. Malcom is 20,
uncapped by Brazil and playing for Ligue 1's 15th-placed side.
The opposites continue: Malcom is left-footed and plays on the right
wing, which has become United's biggest problem position. United
considered Pedro and Sadio Mane to fill that void before Mourinho
insisted on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who preferred to play in the No.10 role
before he was exiled again. United have not ended their interest in
Gareth Bale, either.
A playmaker
The specific term used among Mourinho's inner circle is 'magician'.
Mesut Ozil, with his 67.2 million social media followers would be
magical for the United suits and could arrive on a free transfer, which
would please the Glazer family. Ozil turns 30 next season but worked
with Mourinho for three years, 'loves' him and the pair have embraced
before and after games since they moved to England in 2013. Ozil also
fits the 'established' profile Mourinho has opted for with most of his
United additions.
United are resigned to Antoine Griezmann joining Barcelona, which partly explains why they have not ended their pursuit of Bale.