Sir Alex Ferguson bought well in the summer and finds his team top of the Premier League again, and with the January transfer window fast approaching, does he need to bring in more players? Fergie has never been one for making major changes in January but he does dip his hand into the cookie jar if he needs to. We take a look at possible targets for the United manager and who could bring home that coveted 20th Premier League title.
The Red Devils have always been famous for their mean defence but have found themselves quite exposed in recent years due to the constant injuries to Nemanja Vidic, the aging legs of Rio Ferdinand and consistent reshuffling by Ferguson.
The first name to crop up on a possible list of targets is a tall, solid central defender who has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund. Mats Hummels is a regular for both club and country – Germany – and has quickly become one of the most sought-after defenders in world football.
Hummels is a strong defender who would frighten any striker
Signing Hummels will be an incredibly tough task, though, as Dortmund will not want to let their man leave easily – or at all. It also comes down to whether Hummels wants to leave Germany where he is settled and playing in a young, vibrant side who are headed for stardom with Jurgen Klopp in charge.
If United were to sign Hummels, I’d predict it would be in the summer rather than January.
The next player to be linked with a move to the 19-time league champions is Crystal Palace’s young star, Wilfried Zaha. The young man has attracted a lot of interest since his starring performance at Old Trafford last season when Palace knocked United out of the league cup.
Zaha was recently called up for England duty by manager Roy Hodgson
United have been linked with a £20 million bid for the rapid winger who has performed admirably in the Championship this season, scoring four goals.
He has his critics, however. A lot of people think he’s all just hype but ask any Palace fan what they think of Zaha and they’ll tell you how worried they are about losing their star man.
Whether or not United will move for him in January is another thing, though. The £20m fee rumoured is steep, even for his potential, as I’m sure Zaha wouldn’t be thrown straight into first team action with the likes of Antonio Valencia and Nani ahead of him in the pecking order.
Again, like Hummels, I could see a move made in the summer rather than January.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson usually keeps his cards pinned to his chest regarding transfers, and especially at Christmas when the rumour mill is in full swing. However, one name being constantly thrown about is Lars Bender – another German.
Could Fergie make a move for Bender?
The highly-rated midfielder could add a spark to United’s midfield which is currently lacking. The current pairing of Scholes and Carrick is a decent one but the introduction of Bender could give Ferguson an extra edge; a greater dimension to push for the Premier League title.
Their main rivals Chelsea and Manchester City both have midfielders who drive at defences with the ball in Ramires and Yaya Toure but, currently, United only have Anderson to do that, and he is suspect – he may also be carrying a few extra pounds.
Could Ferguson seize his chance to push United onto the next level for the second half of the season by signing Bender? Possibly…
The players United have been linked with, so far, are mostly attackers with plenty of flair and the last man on our list is the most exciting of them all. James Rodriguez of FC Porto could really set Old Trafford alight – a truly sensational talent.
Another exciting young prospect – Rodriguez – has been groomed by Porto and could be set for his big move to one of Europe’s giants. If Alex Ferguson wants to take United to the next level, and add some more spice to that already fiery attack, he could do much worse than attracting James Rodriguez to Old Trafford.
So far this season, he has appeared 8 times in the Portuguese league, scoring 6 goals – 7 in 13 overall. Not a bad start at all but he won’t be cheap. Another young star to be made at Porto, they’ll be sure to get the most out of him as they can.
Manchester United are already well set for a title charge this season and would come close in May with the current squad so Ferguson may not want to change too many things. However, with any of these signings, bar Zaha, United really could take a huge step closer to league title number 20.
Who do you think United should sign? Any of the players above that you’d love at Old Trafford?
0 comments:
Post a Comment