Newsflash, newsflash; Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller wants to join Manchester United this summer – well that is according to The Mirror who have sensationally reported that the German international could yet arrive at Old Trafford before September 1st.
According to the reports, United have already seen two bids for the World Cup winner turned down by Pep Guardiola’s side but for whatever reason, the paper believes Louis van Gaal can still pull a deal off.
While our resident Red Devils fanatics by the bar would love some more concrete indications that Muller is keen on a switch, these same fans can’t help but think just how the German would fit into their new-look team.
An incredibly lethal customer, Muller is definitely a world class player in his own right and while he doesn’t score the amount of goals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo do – I mean who does – he certainly weighs in with his fair share over the course of a season.
With Wayne Rooney having not set anything alight in his first two games in the number 9 position, many United fans would like to see van Gaal pull something out of the bag regarding a striker while following up on his promise of a “surprise” signing a few weeks back.
While United fans get all dreamy over Muller’s potential signing, we’ve devised a list of five players who could partner him up front for United.
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 players who could partner Thomas Muller up front at Manchester United.
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Pedro
Fully expected to become a Manchester United player in the near future, The Telegraph reported today that they expect the Barcelona man to arrive at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Not an out-and-out forward of course, we’ve seen with Louis van Gaal last season that he has an entire plethora of different formations and systems up his sleeve and with the forward areas needing a bit of strengthening at the moment, you couldn’t rule out the prospect of Pedro being one of the furthest forward.
More of a replacement for Angel Di Maria however, United fans are romanticising over the thought of Memphis Depay on the left, Wayne Rooney in the number 10 role, either Juan Mata or Pedro on the right and Muller up top.
Sounds like a dream team doesn’t it?
Adnan Januzaj
Someone already at the club and someone who’s goal earned Manchester United their second successive win of the season at Aston Villa on Friday night, Adnan Januzaj is someone who can help address United’s striker shortfall this season according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.
Tipped as more talented than £31 million summer arrival Memphis Depay, Januzaj looked like he could’ve succumbed to a loan move to the likes of Everton earlier in the transfer window but given his rare start and goal at Villa Park, it appears he may be in Louis van Gaal’s plans after all.
With Wayne Rooney frustratingly dropping deep into his number 10 role of last season on Friday night, Januzaj often found himself as one of the furthest forward to supplement United attacks and while we all know he’s talented, he just needs to achieve consistency in his performances.
While United fans are getting carried away with their sign, sign, sign policy at the moment, Januzaj is someone who could partner Muller if he became a Red Devil by the end of the window.
Romelu Lukaku
It hasn’t breached the mainstream press as yet but obviously following his two-goal showing against Southampton yesterday, Caught Offside claimed Manchester United could be interested in sealing a deal for Romelu Lukaku before the transfer deadline.
Having seen the best of the Belgian international yesterday, we haven’t seen this lethal form nearly consistently enough over the course of last season to suggest that a potential United switch wouldn’t be a gamble.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez would love Lukaku to put yesterday’s performance in on more of a consistent basis but unfortunately for the former Chelsea man, it hasn’t happened so regularly as it did in his initial loan spell at Goodison Park.
Somebody who has already been at a big club in Chelsea of course, Lukaku has previously ruffled feathers by claiming he’s intent on reaching the big time again and we wonder whether United could make a surprise swoop for him late in the window?
Julian Draxler
Despite Schalke’s sporting director Horst Heldt claiming that the German club haven’t received any new offers for Julian Draxler of late, the likes of The Express still continue to link the player with both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Having seen his stock fall in recent times, partly due to the injury bout in which he suffered, Draxler’s asking price is more reduced than it was previoiusly and as a result, the papers have cottoned on to this.
A player capable of playing on the wing, as a centre forward or as a false nine, Draxler is somebody who would be a dream signing for van Gaal in terms of his versatility.
Expected to make the step up from Schalke at some point, perhaps this will occur before the closure of the window on September 1st.
Wayne Rooney
With Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao now having both left Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney has been entrusted with the honour of being Louis van Gaal’s number one striker in the number nine position.
Now while many pundits have been claiming that Rooney’s best position is as a centre forward, he has been distinctly average in his first two games of the season and particularly poor away at Aston Villa on Friday night.
Frustratingly dropping deep into his number 10 role of last season, Ian Wright pointed out on Match of the Day last night that some 90% of Rooney’s touches occurred outside the penalty box and this is worrying for somebody who is this season considered an out-and-out forward.
If United did manage to get a deal done for Muller, you’d imagine that Rooney could be dropped back into the number 10 role where he can dictate the pace of the game.
A number 9 or a number 10; just what is Rooney’s best position? You decide.
