Things are all of a sudden looking a lot rosier in Manchester United’s garden despite their recent cup defeat to Sunderland. The momentous signing of Juan Mata for a club-record £37.1 million has been accompanied by news that Wayne Rooney is in talks to sign a new contract and they beat Cardiff at home last night. The England international has been pivotal for David Moyes side so far, contributing 9 goals and 9 assists this season.
United’s rebuilding process is in full-swing but they now must strike while the iron is hot. There are still two days left of this window to go and Moyes and chief executive Ed Woodward need to push hard to continue their spending in my view, so here are three players I think that they should be targeting.
1. Luke Shaw
Shaw is seen as one of England’s brightest young talents and it is inevitable that he will follow the likes of Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale and leave the famed Southampton academy for big bucks.
United are crying out for a left-back and with Patrice Evra’s summer exit looking increasingly likely they will be looking at the Saints teenager who could cost in the region of £20 million. With the uncertainty currently surrounding Southampton following Chairman Nicola Cortese’s resignation, now could be the perfect time to pinch their prize asset. Chelsea are also said to be keen on Shaw and are expected to bid in the summer, so getting and early jump on the Blues is vital.
2. Ezequial Garay
The ex-Real Madrid defender has been superb for Benfica and would add some much needed freshness and stability to the back-line. With Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic showing their age and Chris Smalling and Phil Jones often deployed out of position, United are crying out for a new top quality centre-back.
The Argentine could perhaps be picked up relatively cheaply too and would be already bedded into the club for when the next season starts. United have flirted with Garay regularly in the past but with a move away from Benfica looking increasingly likely, they can’t afford to waste much time because there will be plenty of suitors for the talented 27-year-old.
3. Toni Kroos
When one of the worlds most gifted central midfielders appears on the market you have to act fast. Toni Kroos is apparently in a contract dispute with Bayern Munch and could be tempted away with a big money offer.
United’s midfield have been accused of being too static this season but Kroos is exactly what United are missing. He can sit deep alongside Michael Carrick but is willing to break forward and utilise his attacking prowess. Like most modern German midfielders he is blessed with an abundance of talent and creativity and is comfortable operating in many positions.
Munich are unwilling to sell but the 24-year-old has just 18 months left on his current deal and talks have recently stalled. One big money offer could go a long way to curing United’s main problematic area.
Charlie Bennett
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