Rumour Mill : Jose Mourinho gears up for next season
- Manchester United transfer rumours
- May 4, 2018
- 3 min read
Jose Mourinho has already started planning for next season as he gears up for his third season being a Manchester United manager. Mourinho has definitely improved the Red Devils as he has managed to win silverware and also couple that with consistency in the league form. United currently sit 2nd in the Premier League table behind their City rivals Manchester City. They have managed to beat all of their ’Top 6’ rivals in the last 3 months and their character and confidence is definitely on the up going into the next season.
United this season have been mainly been playing with a formation of 4-2-3-1. The back four mainly comprises of Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones. All signed by Sir Alex Ferguson more than 7 years ago. All these years United have lacked investment in the defensive unit but that is soon going to change.
Rumours coming out of Old Trafford seems to suggest that United will not go after attacking players this summer transfer window. Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata are on roster when it comes to attacking players for United. Thus United mainly focus on defensive and midfield spots.
United have needed a left back since the day Patrice Evra left the club in 2014. That summer Ed Woodward, vice-chairman of Manchester United, targeted Luke Shaw from Southampton. Since that transfer Luke Shaw has had a torrid time at Old Trafford. Issues of being unfit and injuries have hampered his United career.
This summer United want to move on the England International and focus on the Juventus left back, Alex Sandro. Alex Sandro is easily regarded among the top 3 left backs around the world and United would try a proven entity than trying their luck again at a young upcoming prospect.
The days of Gary Neville running down the wing are long gone and United also look towards bringing in a right back. Hector Bellerin, Arsenal right back, is a name that is thrown around recently.
In the last few years, Arsenal and United have had lots of transfers between them. Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexis Sanchez have all jumped ships. Especially when quality right backs are hard to come by, Hector Bellerin would be an upgrade on the right backs at United.
Michael Carrick is retiring at the end of this season after a 12 year long career at United which leaves them short in the midfield position. Maraouane Fellaini is also a free agent this summer and may consider moving on after 4 years at Old Trafford. Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk and Sergej Milinkovic Savic from Lazio are high on the priority list for Mourinho and the United board. Savic is a future superstar and is a huge upgrade on Fellaini as he combines Fellainis’s physicality with his immense technical abilities. Fred on the other hand is technical box to box midfielder and would add depth, creativity and steel to that midfield.
Finally, United look forward to bring in a central defender to partner Eric Bailly in defence. Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have had more than 6 years at the club and have struggled to hold on to a place in the team. Both Smalling and Jones have lacked consistency and have been susceptible to injuries.
Mourinho knows it’s time for him to be ruthless and this summer might just bring an end to one of their United careers if not both as Toby Alderweirald from Tottenham looks set to join the Red Devils. Alderweirald is easily Premier League’s best defender and has had a breakdown in relationship in the last few months with the current Tottenham boss, Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino has opted for Davinson Sanchez in his place and the Tottenham centerback might just be is on his way to Manchester. Other names like Samuel Umtiti from FC Barcelona circle around but seem unlikely to happen this summer.
United have had a good season but sit 16 points behind league leaders Manchester City. Jose Mourinho will desperately try to bridge that gap and plug some holes in the team every transfer window while trying to maintain the high demands of the Old Trafford faithful.
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