Two weeks into the January transfer window and we are yet to witness a new arrival at Old Trafford.
While the big boys have been pretty quiet so far with Arsenal only signing Mohamed Elneny, Liverpool signing Steven Caulker and Manchester City signing erm…Anthony Caceres from Oz today, surely it’ll all liven up a bit in this next two weeks?
Our resident Red Devils have grown tired of hearing the name Felipe Anderson of late with the Lazio man seemingly no closer to fleeing the nest from Serie A and thus, other targets are being talked about today.
One rumour that’s particularly caught the eye is the one surrounding Dynamo Kiev’s Aleksandar Dragovic with the Austrian international reportedly set to sign if you believe what you read in The Telegraph.
Highly rated for a long time now, he looks like a decent acquisition although some United fans aren’t getting carried away too much just yet.
Elsewhere, Metro have linked the Red Devils with a revived swoop for Real Madrid star Toni Kroos who is reportedly unsettled over his central midfield position post Rafael Benitez’s departure.
We’re feeling a little presumptuous here in the tavern this evening and that’s why we’ve included both Dragovic and Kroos in a dream Manchester United starting eleven to see how they’d fit in!
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Click on the image below to reveal the dream Manchester United XI including both Toni Kroos and Aleksandar Dragovic.
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David De Gea
Hardly ever putting a foot wrong nowadays, Manchester United’s slump can’t be levelled at this man David De Gea who is a model of consistency nowadays.
United supporters had to watch an erratic Sergio Romero begin the season between the sticks amid De Gea’s Real Madrid interest but that is all forgotten now.
Rival fans claim De Gea is the only true world class player United still boast in their ranks and it’s hard to disagree unless Wayne Rooney is going to carry on his improved form for the rest of the current campaign.
Matteo Darmian
Not blowing anybody away at Old Trafford and not totally disgracing himself either, its been a mixed bag for Matteo Darmian in his first full season at Old Trafford.
Looking like an incredibly attack-minded full back when Italy played England in the 2014 World Cup, Darmian’s performances have been more reserved under Louis van Gaal (no wonder!) and he hasn’t always been in the starting eleven.
Starting the game against Newcastle United in the week, Darmian will look to remain in the starting eleven for the remainder of the season and with Antonio Valencia still out at the moment, options are limited for van Gaal.
Chris Smalling
Looking at the full Premier League table right now, Manchester United have still conceded the joint second fewest amount of goals (20) all season alongside Crystal Palace and a lot of this is to do with the new found maturity of Chris Smalling.
One of the first names on the team-sheet nowadays, Smalling has crucially been able to keep himself fit and with Phil Jones not being able to do so, it’s been vital with his usual partner Daley Blind more of a stop-gap in the position anyway.
Aleksandar Dragovic
As Manchester United fans know by now, the club’s search for a new top quality centre back in the summer proved fruitless with swoops for both Sergio Ramos and Nicolas Otamendi not going anywhere fast.
There is definitely room for another top quality centre half at Old Trafford and with the likes of Marquinhos proving too difficult to acquire at the moment, Dragovic looks a decent alternative at a reported £16 million.
He would have to hit the ground running to prove to van Gaal’s doubters that he isn’t so carefree with aimless spending but surely United have to act on their defensive issues this month?
A last ditch solution could be Nemanja Vidic who was made a free agent from Inter Milan this week but surely United need somebody in their pomp like Dragovic.
Luke Shaw
United have coped since the season-ending injury to Luke Shaw but Red Devils fans are almost counting down the days until the England international’s return following a huge improvement this term.
Enjoying an average at best first full season at Old Trafford, Shaw was starting to put in some real consistent displays but will now cruelly miss not only the rest of 2015/16 but also Euro 2016 with England.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
According to some, he’s been a decent summer acquisition; ask others and they’ll say they don’t really know what he gives this United team.
Bastian Schweinsteiger has split opinions since arriving at Old Trafford but at the end of the day, who can doubt a man who has won the World Cup, not to mention numerous honours in his time at Bayern Munich.
A calming influence in the Red Devils’ midfield, Schweinsteiger does a lot of the dirty work that isn’t always seen via the naked eye and considering he’s started more than Morgan Schneiderlin has so far this season, that tells you all you need to know about his importance in the eyes of the manager.
Toni Kroos
If United got their way in sealing a deal for Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos this month, the Red Devils’ central midfield would have a total German look to it with both Kroos and Schweinsteiger knowing each other’s games extremely well.
On the face of it right now, Metro’s reports of a potential departure this month look premature and knee-jerk but you never know; the United target could possibly arrive next summer with Los Blancos never getting too tied to their players – just ask Mesut Ozil!
Juan Mata
Considering goals haven’t come from too many sources for United so far this campaign, experienced heads such as Juan Mata have to be in the team no matter that even his contribution has been questioned at times.
While Mata hasn’t been absolutely scintillating this term, he has certainly improved since his first days under David Moyes and the Spaniard’s performance away at Southampton earlier this season must prove the benchmark.
Ander Herrera
We’ve seen so many United players occupying the number 10 role so far this season whether it’s been Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata or this man Ander Herrera.
Often billed as a player who would be succeeding so much more under a manager other than Louis van Gaal who is perceived to stifle him, Herrera has always been a quality ball-playing midfielder; we’re just yet to see the best of him on a week-to-week basis in this country.
While Fellaini is in the team right now, United supporters would prefer Herrera given his strengths when on song but make no mistake; if a James Rodriguez or Felipe Anderson were to arrive tomorrow, Herrera would probably be back on the bench.
Anthony Martial
Deserving huge credit for the good first season in England he’s produced to date, we mustn’t forget that Anthony Martial is still just 20-years-old.
Unfairly flung in at the deep end according to many this season despite his excessive £36 million fee, Martial has had to adjust to English football quickly and has done a decent job on the whole in the circumstances.
The problem for him is that United desperately crave a striker who scores as regularly as the likes of Robert Lewandowski do and while Martial may reach those levels in a few years, he isn’t quite ready just yet.
Wayne Rooney
Just as Wayne Rooney’s slump in form was starting to become a little tiresome, the England international has turned it around of late.
Slamming home the penalty that finally overcame Sheffield United in the FA Cup, not to mention his brace away at Newcastle United in midweek, Rooney is finding the net again and it’s about time where United supporters are concerned.
He needs to keep this rich vein of form because at the end of the day, Rooney is the captain and has been there, seen it and done it already.
