9 January Transfer Targets for Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson once said there was no room for sentiment when it came to cutting big-name players.

Memories of Maine Road came rushing back this season when Manchester United suffered a humiliating 6-1 loss to Manchester City.

The last time Manchester United exited the UEFA Champions League group stages was during the 2005-06 season—they also failed to win the Premier League. 

Ferguson needs to buy a left-back, a centre-back and a creative midfielder.

Why a left-back? Patrice Evra has been poor this season and has been caught out of position so many times. 

Why a centre-back? When Michael Carrick starts at centre-back, it’s telling you that you need to buy a centre-back.

Why a creative midfielder? Manchester United need that vision and quality in midfield to amend their below-par season.

We'll break it up into three different transfer types: luxury, economically efficient and realistic.

Luxury Left-Back: Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Marcel Schmelzer will bring energy, reliability and determination to Manchester United. 

Last season, he was without doubt the best left-back in the Bundesliga.

This season, with Philipp Lahm returning to left-back, Schmelzer is just behind the German captain. 

I watched in awe as Schmelzer had an outstanding game in a 2-0 win over Schalke. 

He made seven tackles, intercepted the ball three times and provided an assist. 

According to transfermarkt, he will cost £6.6 million, but I suspect the transfer fee would double, perhaps even triple if Borussia Dortmund play their cards right.  

Economically Efficient Left-Back: Christian Fuchs (Schalke)

What seperates Christian Fuchs from Marcel Schmelzer is that the Schalke left-back is more efficient in the attacking half. 

At the same time, one can make the argument that Fuchs is as solid as a defender as Schmelzer is.

A few weeks ago, Fuchs made six tackles and intercepted the ball three times in a 5-0 win over Werder Bremen.

He also completed 91 percent of his passes whilst providing an assist.

Under Huub Stevens, Fuchs has been playing outstanding football, and I see him a better fit in the Premier League than Schmelzer. 

Realistic Left-Back: Danijel Pranjić (Bayern Munich)

This strikes me as the most realistic transfer because it won't disrupt the dressing room. 

What you don't want is Patrice Evra feeling alienated because someone as highly rated as Marcel Schmelzer has been signed. 

Danijel Pranjić's contract runs out in six months time; he's been a bit-part player at Bayern Munich, and it's only logical for the Bavarian club to sell him in January. 

Pranjić would be to Manchester United what Pablo Zabaleta is for Manchester City—utility player. 

Pranjić can play at left-back, left midfield and centre midfield. 

Alternative Option

The alternative option is to not sign a left-back and hope Fábio comes good. 

He's currently out with a hamstring injury.

The problem I have is that he is right-footed yet plays a left-back.

He can't cross first-time, he's tackling with his opposite foot and his body naturally shifts towards his preferred foot. 

Philipp Lahm is an exception to this rule, but common sense tells you to play a left-back who is left-footed. 

The left-field option is to throw Zeki Fryers into the deep end. 

If you're an advocate for youth, in several years time, Manchester United's back four could look like: Rafael, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Fryers. 

Luxury Centre-Back: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

At 23, Mats Hummels is already a world class centre-back. 

If you're not familiar with him then think of more a disciplined and less injury-prone Daniel Agger. 

Hummels' passing is Gerard Piqué-esque but he's a much better tackler than the Spaniard. 

Borussia Dortmund should sell Hummels for £30 million—that's only the minimum. 

Economically Efficient Centre-Back: Douglas (Twente)

Perhaps the most epic brain snap I've seen on a football pitch—yes...even better than Javier Mascherano losing it at Old Trafford. 

Two weeks after that red card, Douglas dominated Danko Lazović to the extent that you wondered if the Serbian was even playing. 

Against Fulham, he did the same to Bobby Zamora. 

Douglas' contract ends in six months time. 

Yes, it seems he has a disciplinary issue, but take a £3-5 million gamble on this guy. 

Realistic Centre-Back: Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers)

I'm not even counting James Perch as a centre-back, but on form, Cahill is the second-worst centre-back in the Premier League—Roger Johnson is the worst. 

If clubs are so desperate to get Cahill, wait another six months when he can be signed on a free transfer. 

If his move to Chelsea collapses, then Manchester United could sign him. 

Alternative Option

It would be foolhardy not to buy a centre-back because what happens if Phil Jones goes down with a season-ending injury? 

This would mean Michael Carrick playing at centre-back and he had a bad game against Blackburn Rovers.

You can't fault him for that because he wasn't even a centre-back during his youth days—he was a forward. 

Luxury Creative Midfielder: Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan)

Claudio Marchisio would be an ideal fit for Manchester United but it seems all the transfer rumours centre around Sneijder. 

There are some major red flags with Sneijder. 

Last year, he collapsed in the dressing room during halftime in a game against Brescia. 

The official diagnosis was anaemia, however, no further explanation was offered by Sneijder or Inter Milan.

Look at his injury record in the last year:

• 20/11/2011-10/1/2012: right leg rectus femoris muscle strain

• 21/9/2011-17/10/2011: adductor strain

• 30/3/2011-10/5/2011: calf strain

• 17/2/2011-23/2/2011: right adductor muscle fatigue

• 19/12/2010-31/1/2011: left leg biceps femoris muscle strain

Inter Milan are trying to swindle Manchester United like Liverpool swindling Chelsea into buying Fernando Torres. 

Economically Efficient Creative Midfielder: Pablo Aimar (Benfica)

Pablo Aimar's career has been unfulfilled; for someone of his talent, he should have achieved so much more. 

His contract ends in six months time and I'm sure he'd take a chance to play for Manchester United. 

In the 2-2 draw against Manchester United, Aimar scored a goal, completed 87 percent of his passes and made several incisive passes. 

Alternative Option

I don't see any realistic creative midfielders that Manchester United could buy. 

Especially with the Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison contract conundrum. 

My issue with both youngsters is if they're as good as some people have said they are, why haven't they forced their way into the Manchester United first team? 

Fergie's Fledglings Version Three

With all the problems engulfing Manchester United, why not unleash Fergie's Fledglings version three? 

Starting XI: Anders Lindegaard; Rafael, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Zeki Fryers; Nani, Tom Cleverley, Paul Pogba, Ashley Young; Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.

Substitutes: David de Gea; Fábio, Rio Ferdinand; Anderson, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Ravel Morrison; Chicharito.

Please also read Selling Alexandre Pato Is Beyond Ridiculous.  

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