Two weeks into the January transfer window and Manchester United are still yet to make any move to strengthen their squad.
Sitting in sixth place in the Premier League table with even West Ham United in front of them by a point at the moment, Tuesday evening’s 3-3 draw was damaging for Louis van Gaal’s men with Red Devils supporters bemoaning the fact their club couldn’t hold on to prevent Paul Dummett’s late equaliser.
What United fans will take heart from right now is the fact that Wayne Rooney put in another stellar performance against his favourite side in Newcastle United but that said, this United team definitely needs strengthening in a few areas.
In the goalkeeping department, David De Gea and Sergio Romero have that covered but in central defence, there is definitely room for another top quality centre back with Daley Blind – a stop-gap solution – filling in there for most of the season so far.
In midfield, we all know that Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin arrived in the summer but more additions must surely be considered given that Michael Carrick’s days at Old Trafford are running out, not to mention the fact that Marouane Fellaini could be shifted on with few Red Devils fans missing him.
Up top, United definitely need another striker too but as was the case in the summer, viable options look few and far between at the moment and Louis van Gaal will have to carefully monitor the window right up until it closes for an opportunity.
One man surprisingly linked with an Old Trafford switch today has been Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos who is back on the Red Devils’ radar according to the Daily Star.
If a deal could be done for the experienced German international, who else could be following him to the Theatre of Dreams? Here’s five men who could be following close behind.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players who could follow Toni Kroos to Manchester United this month.
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Aleksandar Dragovic
If you’re looking for pretty concrete Manchester United transfer rumours at the moment, look no further than Austrian international Aleksandar Dragovic who will be joining up with the Red Devils in a matter of hours according to The Express among other publications.
Rated ever so highly for a long time now stretching back to his days at FC Basel, the Dynamo Kiev centre back would be a welcome addition at Old Trafford given he’s experienced having played Champions League football, not to mention having earned 38 caps for Austria.
A combative star, Dragovic stands at 6 ft 1 and despite Daley Blind doing relatively well for the large part this term, Dragovic is a proper centre back and the fee in question is £16 million which in all honesty is rather commonplace nowadays.
Dragovic would have to hit the ground running however given several of United’s newer signings have flattered to deceive for long periods despite their cost.
Andre Gomes
It was looking as if Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez was going to be one of the big name midfield arrivals of the Januar transfer window at Old Trafford but that deal appears to be off now.
An alternative in Valencia’s Andre Gomes is now reportedly the centre of attention for Red Devils chiefs if the Daily Star can be believed with the player’s agent Jorge Mendes reportedly pushing his client closer to a United deal.
Having interested Arsenal in the past, Andre Gomes is an energetic all-round box-to-box type midfielder and the interesting thing here is that if United could do a deal for the Portuguese international this month, they’d be cherry picking one of Gary Neville’s best talents of course.
While it would be ambitious to think United could land both Kroos and Gomes in one window, we have mentioned that Carrick and Fellaini could be on the move in the summer and those two will need replacing.
Nemanja Vidic
Although there is yet to be any signs of Manchester United launching an emotional return for their former hero Nemanja Vidic who was released from his Inter Milan contract this week, our Red Devils regulars are seriously wondering whether he could still do a job for them this campaign.
Joining the Nerazzurri in a bit of a career swansong back in 2014, it didn’t really work out for the Serbian who only appeared 23 times in Serie A before being released this week.
Having represented United with total professionalism from 2006 to 2014, Vidic isn’t the player he once was but with clubs holding out for top dollar for their prized defensive assets this January, perhaps a free transfer for Vidic wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world simply to boost the numbers?
Rico Henry
Clubs such as Manchester United are always looking to the future as well as the here and now and a potential star of the future in Walsall’s Rico Henry is reportedly being eyed up by the Red Devils right now according to Metro who first reported of their interest back in November.
United moves to snap up a young Football League talent in the summer in the form of Newport County’s young Welsh talent Regan Poole, yet 18-year-old Henry has more league experience having already represented the Saddlers 21 times in League One.
A left back by trade, Luke Shaw’s absence is well documented and if United beat the likes of Leicester City, Tottenham and Liverpool to the young talent this month, surely he’d slot into the academy ranks first with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson having proved he’s a decent understudy lately.
Felipe Anderson
Yes, it’s this man again!
United fans are almost tired of hearing about Lazio winger Felipe Anderson now having been bombarded with every update imaginable regarding his current situation over in Serie A.
The latest from The Telegraph is that United have still been left feeling buoyed by Anderson’s latest comments in which he’s alluded to feeling unsure over his future in Rome.
With United apparently preparing a £40 million package, surely the Italian giants would find that fee hard to turn down and it is a transfer of this kind that United fans ultimately crave with Anderson undoubtedly an exciting winger who could help turnaround the ‘boring’ tag levelled at Louis van Gaal’s team this season.
