It’s common knowledge that Manchester United still have a lot of work to do, even if they do qualify for next season’s Champions League. Louis van Gaal has recognised the need to strengthen his squad in key areas, and this summer is certainly the time to do it. I’ve decided to take a look at potential targets/signings and have separated this into three separate features – here are the candidates for the goalkeeper and defensive positions
Goalkeepers
1. Hugo Lloris
In my eyes, Hugo Lloris is the third best goalkeeper in the world, behind Manuel Neuer and David de Gea himself. Captain of the French national team, a player of his calibre is unlikely to be happy without Champions League football for too much longer, and Spurs don’t look likely to qualify for next season’s competition. Should United lose their Spanish number one to Real Madrid this summer, I think the funds should be used immediately to give Lloris an offer he can’t refuse. He is a commanding, flexible, sharp goalkeeper, and plays very similarly to de Gea, so in my eyes there is no better replacement.
2. Bernd Leno
Currently first choice goalkeeper for the German U-21 side ahead of his Barcelona counterpart Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Bernd Leno is kept out of the senior team only on the merit of Roman Weidenfeller’s consistency as one of the top ‘keepers around. He has recorded 12 clean sheets for Leverkusen so far this season, compared to just six last time around, so his improvement season on season is there for all to see. I’d like to see him at United, but I feel that if he were to join before the upcoming 2015/16 season, he would play second fiddle to Victor Valdes for the most part, so he might wait a season or two more before leaving Germany.
Defenders
1. Mats Hummels
It is rare nowadays for a week to go by without rumour of Mats Hummels being closer to joining Manchester United. Is he the new Wesley Sneijder, or will the time come when the towering centre back packs his bags and leaves Dortmund for Manchester? He is said by many renowned sports journalists to be the Red Devils’ number one defensive target and a large portion of fans agree that United should go all-out for him. Personally, I’m dubious as to how he would settle into the fast pace of the Premier League and could see him being much like Patrice Evra in finding his feet. He’s certainly a commanding figure, but he gets caught off guard a lot and isn’t the most willing to make up the extra yards. Only time will tell what lies ahead for him with respect to a possible United move
2. Nathaniel Clyne
Before Real Madrid signed Danilo from Porto earlier this year, the young Brazilian seemed to be United’s preferred man at right back. Nathaniel Clyne has very similar attributes to the Danilo and has definitely already proven himself in the Premier League, meaning he’d have no difficulty in fulfilling his duties immediately. Of course, he is also a friend of left-back Luke Shaw, who left Southampton for United last year. A hefty fee would likely be commanded as we know that promising English players come with inflated price tags, but in the long run even £30 million could be seen as a bargain for Clyne, who never fails to chip in with goals and assists as well as stellar defensive performances. The only worry with him would be a lack of Champions League experience, but his time with the England squad does ease that somewhat.
3. Nicolas Otamendi
As a hard-working centre-back, I see Nicolas Otamendi as the best central defensive option available to United. He is much more like the warrior we once had in Nemanja Vidic than Hummels is, and also doesn’t share the German’s tendency to bomb forward, get caught on the break and not put in a shift to get back. Having just last summer moved from Porto to Valencia, it may be more difficult to pick him up, but a bid in the region of £25 million should test the resolve of the Spanish side. Otamendi has played alongside Marcos Rojo for Argentina and the pair excelled at the World Cup in Brazil, so are likely to already have a good understanding, which is crucial at the back.
4. Aleksandar Dragovic
This rugged young Austrian apparently came close to signing for the club in the January transfer window of 2015, with his teammates tweeting to congratulate him and wish him luck with his transfer, but the deal was never finalised. United have however continued to scout him at Dynamo Kyiv throughout the rest of this season and it is suggested that a summer bid will be launched to bring him to Old Trafford this summer. He has made 34 appearances this season, with 10 coming in the Europa League, and has played 37 times for his country already, despite being just 24-years-old. Very similar to Marcos Rojo, Dragovic is not scared of a tackle and also offers some versatility – whilst Marcos can switch from CB to LB, he has, when needed to, filled in at central defensive midfield. A solid figure with a grounded attitude, he said earlier this year that he “can faithfully compete with the best”, he’d be an outstanding acquisition for the club and his fee of around £15m isn’t all that bad either.
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