While our more fickle Manchester United fans in the Football Transfer Tavern are shouting good riddance to Angel Di Maria who is joining Paris Saint-Germain, our more hardcore Red Devils supporters are now looking upon his exit with sadness.
The man who broke the English transfer record at £59.7 million enjoyed a fantastic start to life in the Premier League bit thereafter, things quickly turned sour with Louis van Gaal and United bow now accepting a £15 million loss on the Argentine.
According to most publications including today’s copy of the Daily Mail, United will now turn their attentions to signing Barcelona’s Pedro and the story even goes as far to claim that the Red Devils have been given the go ahead to sign him.
On paper, the Spanish international looks a fine replacement for the departing Di Maria, boasting experience and quality that will put him in good stead to succeed in the Premier League.
Of course, the same things were said about Di Maria prior to his arrival in England but United fans will hope that Pedro sustains good quality form for the entire duration of the new campaign.
It appears staying at the Camp Nou where he has been a long-time servant simply wasn’t an option any more after Luis Enrique swooped to sign Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid, not to mention the continued dominance of the front line which famously includes Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
But if the Pedro deal is all but wrapped up behind the scenes, who else could be following him to Old Trafford this summer?
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 players to follow Pedro to Manchester United this summer.
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Jasper Cillessen
At present, the futures of four Manchester United goalkeepers are up in the air with David De Gea, Anders Lindegaard, Victor Valdes and Sam Johnstone all still fancied to be possibly making an Old Trafford exit this summer.
With Sergio Romero having arrived of late, he is probably going to be a back up option behind whoever Louis van Gaal brings in next – that is if De Gea does make his much publicised exit to Real Madrid this summer of course.
One man who has reportedly claimed he’s ready to move to Old Trafford is Ajax stopper Jasper Cillessen who was the Netherlands’ number one under van Gaal at the World Cup last summer.
Ajax boss Frank de Boer has previously noted that it would be hard for the Amsterdam club to turn down a big money offer from United and now that the Dutch giants have been knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers last night by Rapid Vienna, perhaps this will make Cillessen want to leave earlier than he imagined.
Stefan de Vrij
So far this summer, Louis van Gaal has addressed the midfield and attacking sections of his squad but he is yet to add another defender.
United fans have been crying out for a top level reinforcement at centre back for some time now but after struggling in their pursuits for Sergio Ramos and Nicolas Otamendi, it appears the Red Devils are no closer to sourcing a solution.
Add into the equation that United recently had a 30 million euro offer for Lazio’s Stefan de Vrij turned down recently and it appears clear that van Gaal has turned his attentions to the Dutch international whom he knows well instead.
Another improved United bid for the former Feyenoord defender cannot be ruled out this summer so watch this space.
Karim Benzema
While Memphis Depay has worn the number 9 shirt in pre-season, he is yet to be allocated it on a full-time basis for the new season and just imagine if it was being reserved for Karim Benzema.
While Arsenal have been more frequently linked with the French international this summer, reports from Metro yesterday claimed that it is United who are stepping up their efforts to land the Real Madrid man.
The reports claim that Benzema’s transfer would complete United’s crazy summer of spending and just imagine the Gunners fans’ faces if it was United and not them who managed to conclude a deal for the world class forward.
Pepe
As alluded to on our previous slides, Louis van Gaal is yet to address his defence in the transfer market this summer with Sergio Ramos having seemingly given the Red Devils the run around before remaining at Real Madrid for yet another season.
But according to more recent reports by The Mirror, that particular publication claims that United are chasing another Real Madrid defender and this time it is not Ramos.
The name mentioned by the red top is actually Pepe who will reportedly be Rafael Benitez’s third choice centre back behind both Ramos himself and Raphael Varane.
Los Blancos have been rotating between these top three centre backs for a little while now but it remains to be seen whether Pepe’s nose has been put out of joint so much that he’d be willing to entertain a transfer this summer.
Fernando Muslera
While Manchester United’s proposed swoop for Jasper Cillessen looks fairly straightforward with a big money deal simply leaving Ajax powerless not to sell, issues can still crop up.
That’s why another name has entered the fray today in the form of Galatasaray number one Fernando Muslera who is reportedly rated at £24.5 million in the current window.
A vastly experienced goalkeeper having played as the Uruguayan international number one for some time, the reports from Metro claim the Turkish giants would simply have to sell if they received an offer over £20 million.
This fee would of course make Muslera one of the most expensive goalkeepers of all-time and if he did rock up at Old Trafford, our Red Devils fans are wondering who is better out of him and current new arrival Sergio Romero.
