Grading Manchester United's Rumoured January Transfer Signings
This article will grade the January transfer targets linked to Manchester United. The idea is to give United supporters an idea of what the player in question can bring to Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.
The article also serves to access the validity of the rumour.
Alen Halilović, Tom Ince and Wilfried Zaha won't be included in the article because I haven't seen them enough to offer any insightful analysis.
Kurt Zouma, Saint-Étienne, Centre-Back, Age: 18
1 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
According to The Sun, Manchester United are jostling with Manchester City over Saint-Étienne defender Kurt Zouma.
Will this transfer happen?
No.
The lack of information provided by The Sun, 202 characters in total, casts doubt over the validity of the rumour.
So, you begin to surmise that whoever wrote that article isn't a football aficionado and probably spent more time coming up with the pun: "Alex Zoums in" than actually writing the piece.
The speculation over Zouma joining United seems to have stemmed from Sir Alex Ferguson supposedly inviting the teenager to watch a game at Old Trafford.
That's pretty innocuous since Ferguson routinely ingratiates himself with opposing players.
When Philippe Mexès was at Auxerre, he received a Christmas card from Ferguson.
In 2004, Ferguson introduced himself to Arjen Robben, who took a tour of United's training facilities without informing PSV Eindhoven.
Ferguson also once wrote a letter to then-Standard Liège player Steven Defour.
None of the three above-mentioned players joined United from their respective clubs at the time.
Grading the rumoured signing: B+
At just 18, Zouma has been a contributor to Ligue 1's joint best defence, which tells you that he has a high ceiling for success.
Moustapha Bayal wouldn't be in the starting XI if Zouma didn't injure his ankle.
Zouma is still just a kid and it's beneficial for his development to stay at Saint-Étienne.
Remember, the January transfer window is there for teams to sign injury-replacement players or footballers that will improve their team instantly.
Zouma is for the future, thus signing him in the summer transfer window, where he can get a preseason under his belt, seems more logical.
If Ferguson wanted a Premier League-ready Ligue 1 centre-back in January, he should take a look at Valenciennes' Gil.
Adel Taarabt, Queens Park Rangers, Left Attacking Midfielder, Age: 23
2 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
Simon Rice at The Independent believes Manchester United will spend £12 million on Queens Park Rangers' Adel Taarabt.
Will this transfer happen?
No.
If it was for £1-3 million, then taking a chance on Taarabt, who has looked quite lethal at times, is worth a punt.
Grading the rumoured signing: C
| League Only | Goals | Shots Per Goal | Assists | Shots Created Per Game | Dribbles Per Game |
| Taarabt | 2 | 19.5 | 1 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
| Danny Welbeck | 1 | 20 | 2 | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| Ashley Young | - | * | 1 | 1 | 0.4 |
* Young has taken nine shots.
With the exception of Alejandro Faurlín and Esteban Granero, Taarabt has the most touches for QPR.
He generally always has possession when the team is attacking. For him to only register two goals and a solitary assist proves how unproductive he is.
United do have a problem on the left but that's because Nani is on his way out, Young's form has been nonexistent and Welbeck is a fill-in out wide.
However, Taarabt isn't the right man for a starting gig. However he would be an exceptional impact sub if he had the mentality of a José Callejón—unfortunately, the QPR wide attacking midfielder has a sense of entitlement.
It's a risky idea to sign him, when you know he'll have a moan once he doesn't see his name on the starting team sheet.
Kevin Strootman, PSV Eindhoven, Centre Midfielder, Age: 22
3 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
Kevin Strootman's agent admitted to talkSPORT that Manchester United have asked PSV Eindhoven about the possibility of signing the 22-year-old.
Will this transfer happen?
Maybe.
Strootman is exactly what United needs: a complete midfielder and someone that can boss the centre of the field.
PSV lead the Eredivisie and the idea of losing one of their most important players could be detrimental to their dressing room.
It would take a monumental bid, something like £20-plus million, to convince the Eindhoven club to relinquish Strootman in January.
Grading the rumoured signing: A+
When Strootman was at Utrecht with the likes of Michel Vorm, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Dries Mertens and Michael Silberbauer, I never got the impression that Strootman was a midfield enforcer.
Instead, I saw a tall and elegant midfielder that made passes whilst showing a bit of pizzazz.
It must have been an eye-opening experience for Adam Sarota to watch and learn from Strootman.
At PSV Eindhoven, Strootman has anchored the midfield, even though he could be an elite No. 10.
His tackling has drastically improved to the point that he's averaging an absurd 7.7 tackles per Europa League game.
James Rodríguez, Porto, Left/Right Forward, Age: 21
4 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
According to John Edwards at the Daily Mail, Porto wide forward James Rodríguez has been consistently watched by Manchester United's scouting network.
Will this transfer happen?
No. Why are the Daily Mail surprised that United are doing their due diligence in scouting Rodríguez? The Red Devils' scouting network should be following Rodríguez 24/7.
It's a nonstory because Porto will keep Rodríguez as a cash cow, unless United submit some crazy bid.
From Rodríguez's perspective, it's ideal for him to dominate the Portuguese Primeira Liga for two more seasons before moving on to bigger and better things.
Grading the rumoured signing: A+
Rodríguez can play out wide on either flank and has had a few stints through the middle. He's technically superb, always looking to attack and has the potential to be a world-class footballer.
One alternative to Rodríguez could be Roma's Erik Lamela, who is playing at a higher level than the Porto forward.
Victor Wanyama, Celtic, Centre Midfielder, Age: 21
5 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
Scott Murray at Guardian.co.uk has reported that Celtic's prolific ball-winning midfielder, Victor Wanyama, is a Manchester United January transfer target.
Will this transfer happen?
No.
Perhaps, next summer but not this January, with Celtic likely to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages.
Grading the rumoured signing: A+
The combination of Kevin Strootman and Victor Wanyama could easily be the most feared double-pivot partnership in the Premier League.
Wanyama is such a ferocious tackler. In two games against Barcelona, Wanyama made a combined 10 tackles.
Leighton Baines, Everton, Left-Back, Age: 27
6 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
James Desborough at Express.co.uk has reported that Manchester United will offer £8 million plus Patrice Evra for Leighton Baines.
Will this transfer happen?
No.
David Moyes' experience with the drama queen that is Royston Drenthe means signing Evra, who has a better CV than Drenthe, is asking for trouble.
The sensible decision for Moyes would be to inflate Baines' transfer fee to the nth degree.
Grading the rumoured signing: A+
Sir Alex Ferguson is in a win-now mentality, so signing the Premier League's best left-back will fortify that position.
Evra's defending hasn't been as bad as last season but he isn't playing at the same standard as Baines.
This Premier League season, Baines has created 50 shots for his teammates compared to Evra's 11.
Wesley Sneijder, Inter Milan, Attacking Midfielder, Age: 28
7 of 7Tell me about the transfer rumour
According to Alex Shaw at talkSPORT, Manchester United may bid for Wesley Sneijder's services during the January transfer window.
Will this transfer happen?
Sneijder to United is like your ex. Back then, it was great. Now, it isn't.
Grading the rumoured signing: F
Sneijder's body has been betraying him since the start of his professional career. He's never played 50 games or more in a season.
Shinji Kagawa certainly doesn't want Sneijder in the team because the Japanese's chances of starting would diminish.
Do you know who really doesn't want Sneijder at United? No. 20.
Robin van Persie's career is peaking right now.
Why on earth would he want to help Sneijder, who used to always pull rank over him in the Dutch national side, now that the Inter Milan player needs his career to be resuscitated?
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