Who do Manchester United Need This Summer?

Manchester United have reinvigorated themselves since the January signing of Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has been come into the team and showed his class and lifting spirits around Old Trafford for both fans and players.

His goals, assists and all-round ability have helped United, seeing them go 11 games unbeaten, including beating Manchester City twice and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Red Devils have certainly put themselves in a better position since this signing, as they fight for a top four place.

There are certainly positives for the rest of the season and going into the next, but how can they improve on that even more? Here are some signings United should make to get to that next level, and maybe even win silverware next season.

The right wing is an area where the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should look to target first. The lack of an out-and-out right winger is something that United should look to address, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford favoured on the left. Indeed, the likes of Juan Mata and Daniel James have been deployed there but the former has always been better centrally, whilst James has been out of form for most of this season.

Especially with Rashford injured, now seems as good a time as any to fill the hole missing on the right flank. Jadon Sancho is the name on every United fan’s lips right now, and for a good reason. The former Manchester City youngster has been tearing the Bundesliga apart with Borussia Dortmund and recording remarkable numbers since he joined back in 2017.

The Englishman has recorded a staggering 14 goals and 16 assists in the 23 games he’s played in Germany’s top-flight this season. Sancho would also form a great relationship with his England colleagues such as Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Harry Maguire, who he has a great rapport with on his social media channels. Sancho’s market value has increased massively in recent seasons, and he is rumoured to be valued at around £120million by Dortmund. PaddyPower currently have United as favourites to land Sancho, at a decent price of 2/1.

Another alternative could be Fiorentina’s Federico Chiesa. The Italian winger is a hugely admired prospect in Serie A and valued at around £50million, although they face stern competitions from the likes of Juventus.

Despite the superb performances by Fred and Nemanja Matic, United could still do with a defensive midfielder to sit behind Bruno Fernandes. United have lacked the depth in that area this season, especially when injuries have hit the likes of Scott McTominay and Matic. With Paul Pogba’s future in doubt, United should certainly look for other midfield options.

Thomas Partey seems to be the most popular choice amongst fans, however, Ed Woodward and the United board may also consider doing their upmost to capture Stade Rennais midfielder, Eduardo Camavinga. He may only be 17 years of age, but the French starlet has been raved about and has gained many plaudits after his 25 league appearance for the French outfit this season.

Camavinga has shown he loves to get his foot in and win tackles as well as running with the ball and creating attacks, attributes that have led Rennes to third place in the Ligue 1.

In fact, no player in the top five leagues has won more tackles per game than the youngster. His attacking talents are also clear to see, such as his impressive goal to win the game versus Lyon in which he drove at defenders before using his dribbling skill to get past the Lyon centre back and finishing in the back of the net.

It’s obvious why the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool have been rumoured to be interested in capturing Camavinga, but if United can get there first it would be a superb swoop.

Another area in which United seem to be lacking in depth is the striker role. Solskjaer’s side haven’t replaced Romelu Lukaku since his move to Inter last summer, which eventually forced the loan move of Odion Ighalo in January.

Only Martial, Rashford and Mason Greenwood have played up top for United so far, even though Rashford has demonstrated the left wing is his best position, whilst there can be arguments that Martial's best days are in this position, as well. Now, the 20-time top-flight winners should look at bringing in Paris Saint-Germain veteran Edison Cavani.

Cavani is a guarantee of goals, shown via the Uruguayan’s record of 104 goals in 138 appearances for Napoli, before becoming PSG’s all-time top scorer with 200 goals in 301 appearances. The striker has found himself with less game time in recent years following the arrivals of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and more recently, Mauro Icardi and others at the Parc de Princes.

But now, at the age of 33, Cavani has at least a few more seasons left in the tank, and could be a great teacher, helping the likes of Rashford and Greenwood develop and reach their potential. The former Napoli man could be a bargain for United if they could get him on a free transfer, with his contract due to expire in the summer for the French champions.

At the same time, United could be a smart move for one of the most prolific strikers in the game despite his age. Indeed, there are shades of the matured Zlatan Ibrahimovic capture that guided the Red Devils to league cup and Europa League success. The arrival of Cavani could be just what United need to get back to glory.

By Jordan Edmonds