Manchester United are trying to break into the top-four at the top of the Premier League but it’s not going to be easy with just a handful of games left to play.
It took Jose Mourinho’s team a number of months to find form in the top flight this season and by the time they did so, Chelsea were seemingly running away with the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
It’s now a battle to get into the Champions League, which, if they don’t win the Europa League, could be the biggest and most important race of the season.
The Red Devils here in the pub would be absolutely gutted to not secure Champions League football again next season and the pressure is on Jose Mourinho to start delivering results, and fast.
But with the summer edging ever-closer, there’s a number of other things he has to sort out at the helm of Old Trafford too, other than the ongoing Wayne Rooney Saga.
So with that in mind, here’s 3 non-Wayne Rooney related transfer priorities that Jose must resolve at Old Trafford this summer…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Any United fan that tells you the front-line hasn’t been carried by charismatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic this season probably needs to have a long, hard look at themselves.
It’s agreed here in the pub that the Swede has been the kingpin of the United team this season and resolving his future has got to be at the top of Jose’s transfer priorities this summer.
Offering him a hefty new deal to keep away interest from America and China is the exact way to do that and if necessary, United really should break the bank to keep him in Manchester.
Rebuild
With no disrespect to United or the current squad, this team quite simply doesn’t have the “fear-factor” we’ve seen from Red Devils squads in the past, namely during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
United fans here in the pub agree too – do the likes of Fellaini, Martial and Rojo strike fear into the hearts of oppositions like Scholes, Cantona and Ferdinand?
To compete, United need to bring in some world-class talent to join the handful of real stars they already have at the club. If they don’t, they’ll risk falling behind.
Young Players
Say what you like about Louis van Gaal’s time in charge at the club, you can’t disagree that he didn’t give some seriously bright young talent at chance at Old Trafford.
The likes of Fosu-Mensah, Borthwick-Jackson and Marcus Rashford all did well when given first-team minutes and we need to see these sorts of players going out on loan this summer.
The potential Fosu-Mensah has is unbelievable and at this point in his career, Rashford needs to be playing week-in, week-out too.
