Manchester United Transfers: 7 Pie-in-the-Sky Players They Would Love to Add

The transfer window is awash with scurrilous gossip and unfounded rumors about your beloved team.

If you're not careful, you can get carried away and start dreaming about Lionel Messi turning out for Blackpool or Xavi taking a central role in the Bolton midfield.

Manchester United have more power than most in actually attracting the world's best, but there are still a few players they currently have no chance of signing.

Here are seven "pie-in-the-sky" stars Sir Alex Ferguson would love to get his hands on.

Xavi

This picture says it all. United have lost a world-class midfielder with the retirement of Paul Scholes and Xavi would go a long way to filling his boots.

But why would he leave the world's best team, Barcelona, to join the one they schooled in the Champions League final?

He wouldn't.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is the best player on the planet and arguably one of the greatest of all time.

Sir Alex Ferguson said his team simply couldn't find an answer to Messi's creative genius in the Champions League final.

How he'd love to have him in a red shirt, but in the current market, no club on earth could afford Messi.

Steven Gerrard

He might be 31, but Steven Gerrard still has at least a couple of years left at the top of his game.

As one of most commanding midfielders in the Premier League, he'd provide the kind of drive at United that was delivered by Roy Keane in his prime.

But let's face it, Gerrard would never leave Anfield for Liverpool's most bitter rivals.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo cost Real Madrid an eye-watering £80 million when he left United in 2009.

Since then, he's scored goals at a prolific rate and arguably pushed his price tag even higher.

Sir Alex Ferguson would love to have him back and Ronaldo himself might even consider it, but surely the transfer fee would put United out of the reckoning.

Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas is still relatively young for a goalkeeper at 30, but the Real Madrid star has got all the experience you could ask for between the posts.

A Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup winner with Spain, Casillas has won two Champions League titles with Madrid and a host of individual accolades besides.

Sir Alex Ferguson has put his trust in David de Gea, seen by some as as the heir to Casillas' throne, but he'd surely rather have had the ruling king.

Andres Iniesta

Half of the best midfield in world football, Andres Iniesta finished second in the 2010 Ballon d'Or—behind his teammate Lionel Messi and ahead of his brother in arms Xavi.

The 27-year-old is one of the best passers of the ball in the game and would surely heap on the assists for the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov at United.

But with such a remarkable thing going at Barcelona, he surely won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Maicon

Arguably one of the most exciting fullbacks/wingbacks in the game, Brazilian Maicon would be a superb addition to the United squad.

The 29-year-old would bring experience, authority and attacking ambition to the right flank—just in time to provide a foil for Ashley Young as he looks to settle on the wing.

But judging by recent speculation, if he does leave Inter Milan, Maicon's most likely destination will be Real Madrid, where he'd be reunited with Jose Mourinho.