José Mourinho’s first season back in the Premier League was a disappointment, as he saw his side finish sixth. It is clear that the Portuguese manager will have to splash some cash this summer if he wants to perform better domestically.
Ivan Perišić
28-year-old winger Ivan Perišić has had nothing short of an exceptional season at Inter. He was consistent with his end product in his 36 appearances in Serie A, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists. Although the Croatian performs best out wide, he is more than capable of putting in a quality shift as an attacking midfielder. He can play—and score—with both feet, further adding to his versatility. His fluid dribbling ability, combined with his silky skill moves, have caused defenders problems on several occasions.
Perišić would greatly strengthen the Manchester United squad, both in terms of attacking options and with the creative spark which he provides. Paul Pogba has been under pressure to justify his £89m price tag, and Perišić could link up nicely with him. The Frenchman has the ability to play as a box-to-box midfielder and the two could pair well in attack. The Croatian could also act as a provider for youngsters Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, as he is lethal on the counter attack and thrives when delivering long balls to the strikers.
Fabinho
23-year-old Fabinho Tavares played a pivotal role in Monaco’s Ligue 1 triumph. The defensive midfielder was able to dominate the midfield and control the pace of matches, which was crucial to so many of his side’s victories. The Brazilian played on a consistent basis and managed to score nine goals in the process.
If the he were to sign, he would be able to rotate play with Ander Herrera and support Paul Pogba in a holding midfield role. His versatility would greatly increase United’s squad depth, having proven that he is capable of putting in a shift at right-back.
Last season, Manchester United played a possession-heavy game and struggled to break down teams who on paper should not have been a problem. Fabinho would be able to win back the ball in the midfield and start counter attacks with ease.
Danny Rose
Left-back Danny Rose has had nothing short of an exceptional season at Spurs. The 26-year-old earned himself a spot in the PFA Team of the Season and was a key reason for Spurs’ defensive success last year. Besides his defensive duties, his pace and offensive threat proved very valuable when moving up the pitch. He has proven to be a consistent performer, which is why he will not come cheap.
Despite Spurs’s high asking price, his presence would convincingly bolster the current Manchester United squad. With the inconsistency in United’s left backs, the addition of Rose would provide a great deal of stability in their back line. It seems likely that Mourinho will pursue the Englishman as he is only 26 and would help Luke Shaw’s development. United’s left flank was very vulnerable last season, and a new left-back is badly needed.
James Rodriguez
25-year-old James Rodriguez proved his talent during the 2014 World Cup, where he won the golden boot. His transfer to Real Madrid proved to be costly, and he hasn’t been able to secure a spot in the first team, nor has he shown consistency. There have been murmurs as to his being unsettled for some time now, and he could easily move away from Madrid this summer. His alleged desire to leave means that Mourinho and Woodward may be able to bring him to Manchester for a reasonable price.
James saw himself on the bench for majority of the season as Casemiro and Isco both excelled. Regardless, in his 14 La Liga appearances, he scored eight goals and provided six assists. He is best known for his creative style of play and long range efforts, and his outstanding ability to hold up the play will allow for the attackers to cut inside and look for his through balls. Not only will he be beneficial to the attackers but his long balls and crossing ability can provide for the target men. Lastly, with James comes a lethal direct free kick, which can prove very valuable during the dying ends of games.
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