With just 17 days left to wait until the new 2015/16 Premier League season kicks off, the excitement here in the Football Transfer Tavern has kicked into overdrive.
The transfers and flurry of pre-season friendlies have kept most fan bases ticking along nicely and in recently passed hours, everybody has been waiting for Liverpool’s signing of Christian Benteke.
For the neutrals by the bar, they’re split on whether Benteke will prove a success at Anfield but our Manchester United regulars are claiming the Belgian is small fry compared to the calibre of targets they’re going after this summer.
Having already brought Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin to Old Trafford so far this summer, the latest speculation has linked none other than Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller with a multi-million move to the Theatre of Dreams.
His current team-mate at the Allianz Arena Philipp Lahm did nothing to dampen the speculation regarding Muller this week, claiming a deal for the German international forward is not impossible.
While United fans wait patiently regarding movement on that particular transfer, we’ve devised what we believe to be the best possible starting eleven Louis van Gaal can field this term with everybody fit.
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Click on the image below to reveal what we believe to be the best starting XI Man United can field under LVG next season.
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David De Gea
For a long time this summer, it looked as if David De Gea was set on exiting Old Trafford to complete a high profile transfer to Real Madrid but since Los Blancos landed Kiko Casilla from Espanyol, matters have been confused a little.
Manchester United have come out and claimed that they expect their Spanish stopper to depart either this summer or next but with Keylor Navas having received the number one jersey at the Bernabeu, we think it will next summer in which De Gea moves.
United themselves have been looking at current free agent and Argentina number one Sergio Romero of late but it is anticipated that he will be a replacement for the outgoing Victor Valdes who irked van Gaal by refusing to play in a reserves fixture of late.
Matteo Darmian
This week, Louis van Gaal claimed that reformed right back Antonio Valencia will be his first choice in the position this forthcoming season but we still think that new boy Matteo Darmian is ready-made to hit the ground running in the role.
A current starter for Italy in the position at present, Darmian was a standout player against England during their group stage battle at last summer’s World Cup.
Darmian is a pacey customer who can get up and down the right flank while not forgetting his defensive duties and also able to play as an emergency centre half, he will be a useful addition to van Gaal’s squad you feel.
Chris Smalling
Chris Smalling has many critics and we’re not talking about his fancy dress but rather some of the error-prone defensive performances we’ve become used to from him over the last couple of seasons.
However, following his stupid red card away at Manchester City last term, he really started to mature while producing more consistent performances towards the tail end of the campaign.
Still a work in progress like Phil Jones, Smalling takes the centre back slot ahead of his England team-mate due to the promise he showed later on in 2014/15.
Marcos Rojo
He may have already lasted one full season as a Manchester United player but Red Devils fans would love to see far more of their Argentine centre back given the series of injury setbacks he suffered last term.
Performing as a losing finalist in the Copa America for Argentina this summer, Rojo had a good tournament on a personal level, albeit playing as a left back.
While he performs in this position for his country, we expect Rojo to get plenty of opportunities at centre back if Louis van Gaal fails to get a deal done for Valencia’s Nicolas Otamendi this summer.
Luke Shaw
Not flopping to the extent Angel Di Maria did in his first season at Old Trafford, Luke Shaw will look back on his debut season not so fondly compared to the ones that proceeded it.
A big money signing from Southampton of course, Shaw struggled to produce his best performances in more expectant surroundings last term with the England international also succumbing to injuries on several occasions.
Nonetheless, Shaw is still only 20-years-old and full of promise so expect Louis van Gaal to start with him again this term in the hope that he can turn it around as a Red Devil.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Louis van Gaal may have just publicly outed his new German signing for a poor performance against San Jose Earthquakes in pre-season but we think the former Bayern Munich man is simply adjusting to his new surroundings.
Having spent his entire career in the Bundesliga up until this season, Schweinsteiger will need to adjust to the pace and physicality of the English top flight but given his experience and age, we don’t think it’ll take him too long to start bossing the United midfield.
One of the most high profile signings this summer, Schweinsteiger will bring quality and leadership abilities to Louis van Gaal’s midfield.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Signed on the same day as Schweinsteiger of course, the capture of Morgan Schneiderlin as well has really revamped the options available to Louis van Gaal in central midfield.
With Marouane Fellaini, Daley Blind and Ander Herrera capable of filling this midfield slots to boot, United suddenly have one of the strongest midfield’s in the division.
United will of course be battling on four fronts again this season and with the campaign long and arduous, expect van Gaal to rotate amongst the aforementioned names but when everybody is fit, we think a deep lying duo of Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin is the Dutchman’s best bet.
Juan Mata
Last season, Juan Mata started to demonstrate some of the form that ensured he was awarded Chelsea’s Player of the Year gong for two seasons in a row after finally finding his feet at Old Trafford.
For a long while, it looked as if despite being a quality player, the Spaniard didn’t seem to fit at Old Trafford but following his high profile brace away to Liverpool last term, that game turned Mata into a different animal altogether and he’s gone on from then to become a fixture in Louis van Gaal’s plans.
At one stage, even Adnan Januzaj looked like getting in the team ahead of Mata but in credit to the former Valencia man, he now earns his place in Manchester United’s strongest eleven.
Angel Di Maria
Who knows, we could be replacing Angel Di Maria in this strongest starting eleven with the likes of Barcelona’s Pedro or Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller in the coming weeks with United linked with the pair and Paris Saint-Germain still fully expecting to sign the Argentine.
It’s been well publicised that Di Maria didn’t enjoy the best first full season in English football but as we’ve seen with the likes of Mesut Ozil at Arsenal, despite being a talented footballer abroad, it can take some players longer to find their feet.
While Di Maria is still a United player, we’re including him in their strongest starting eleven – after all he cost just shy of £60 million.
When the former Real Madrid man is on form, he’s difficult to stop and there’s a whole host of Manchester United fans who haven’t given up on Di Maria just yet.
Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay grabbed his first Manchester United goal in the victory over San Jose Earthquakes and Manchester United fans could be replying on the Dutchman to register a decent goal haul in his first season at the club.
Having worn the number 9 shirt in pre-season, Louis van Gaal has already spoken about utilising Depay as a centre forward this season with United having lost Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao following last season.
It’s expected that United will be adding another ‘surprise’ top forward to their ranks so Depay takes up his favoured left wing position in a 4-2-1-2-1 formation here.
Wayne Rooney
Having seen off both Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao, captain Wayne Rooney has again underlined his importance as Manchester United’s number one striker.
With Louis van Gaal having claimed that he will utilise Rooney as a centre forward this term, everybody is in agreement that this is the England international’s best position and as a result, expect Rooney to be nearer the 20-goal mark this coming season.
Of course able to be dropped deeper into the number-10 role as well, Rooney continues to give his all wherever he is deployed and we just wonder whether Thomas Muller could become his team-mate in the next few weeks.
