Two Players Manchester United Could Still Sign this Summer
The start to Manchester United’s new era couldn’t have gone any worse. Despite rumours of a positive preseason under new manager Erik Ten Hag — a preseason which included a 4-0 friendly win over Liverpool — the start to their Premier League campaign has been a disaster. Firstly they were turned over 2-1 at home to Brighton in a fixture which on paper appeared to a banker home win. Then, when it didn’t look like things could get any worse, the Red Devils were trounced 4-0 away at Brentford. The Bees found themselves four goals to the good before halftime on that day in West London, and United looked like they were at sixes and sevens.
Another reason adding to the cloud of uncertainty hanging around Old Trafford has been the club’s summer recruitment. It’s been evident for years now though that the current crop that comes through the doors of the Carrington Training Complex every day is not good enough. The likes of Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford, and Anthony Martial haven’t displayed the levels of ability expected when wearing that famous red shirt. The same can be said of last summer’s marquee arrival, Jadon Sancho. The former Borussia Dortmund man was a sensation in Germany, providing 114 goal involvements in 137 games during his four years at Signal Iduna Park. Last season, however, he could muster just five goals and three assists for his new club.
This summer, the club has spent money once again, but whether the players they have signed are of the required quality remains. Question marks are looming around centre-back Lisandro Martinez. The Argentina international was brilliant for Ajax, but his 5 ft 9 stature is set to be tested during the ultra-physical Premier League. Christian Eriksen on the other hand looks to be a quality bit of business after arriving on a free transfer. Ten Hag however doesn’t seem to be able to find the correct role for the Danish star, currently playing him in a deeper role than at his previous clubs.
It does look like Manchester United have turned a corner, however. The £60m signing of Real Madrid’s five-time Champions League-winning midfielder Casemiro is a step in the right direction. Here are two more players that the club could bring in before the transfer window slams shut.
Antony
The arrival of Ajax’s winger Antony has been mooted all summer. The pacey Brazilian has also shone in Amsterdam under Ten Hag, and it’s clear that the Dutch manager is keen to bring him with him to the North West. One problem however could be the £90m transfer fee that has been mentioned. In the current market, that sizable fee does appear to be somewhat of a stumbling block. Let’s remember that the club paid £15m less than that to bring in Sancho last summer, and his performances and statistics were much more impressive than Antony’s. Another fact that makes the transfer fee all the more astonishing is that Leeds United paid just £22.5m for Luis Sinisterra earlier in the window. The Colombian winger provided 19 goal involvements for Feyenoord in the Eredivise last season as compared to Antony’s 12 and is barely a year older than his contemporary. It remains to be seen whether a deal for the Brazilian can be struck and hopefully, for United, the fee isn’t as much as has been mentioned
Alvaro Morata
Manchester United’s search for a striker this transfer window has been somewhat laughable. It looks as though they have finally convinced Cristiano Ronaldo to stay, despite the Portuguese superstar admitting numerous times in recent weeks that he wants to leave in order to play Champions League football. Other names that have been touted as a possible arrival at Old Trafford are Bologna’s 33-year-old Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy. Englishman Vardy did aid the Foxes to one of football’s greatest shocks but now aged 35, is he really a suitable addition for Manchester United? Besides, he has since signed an extension to stay on at Leicester.
It seems that now attention has turned to Alvaro Morata. The Spanish striker has already tried and failed in the Premier League after his disastrous spell with Chelsea and it continues to baffle fans how the former Real Madrid man continues to secure big moves. A third move to Juventus is also being tipped as a possibility for him, however, so it may be unlikely that United will convince him to join a club seemingly in disarray.
