Top 5 Players Manchester United Should Target in January Transfer Window
The January transfer window is open, which means silly season is officially here and ready for rampant media speculation.
For Manchester United, the first several months of Louis van Gaal's reign as manager has been fraught with highs and lows.
For every 5-3 loss to Leicester City, there was a 3-0 victory against Liverpool to boost spirits.
The main source of Manchester United's erratic play—aside from an injury list so long it beggars belief—has been poor defensive play.
Van Gaal has fielded 11 different players in defense—one of which being Michael Carrick, who is a central midfielder—and three others who came from United's academy, who had seen no first-team action prior to this season.
The second issue facing Manchester United is that despite boasting a midfield and attacking front worth over £200 million in transfer value, they seem remarkably impotent in the final third.
Not in the sense that they don't have players who can score, but aside from Angel Di Maria, they don't have enough players who posses the pace AND the creative genius necessary to break down defenses.
Unfortunately for United fans, the likelihood of Cristiano Ronaldo returning to save the day is next to zero.
However, here are five players that are potentially available and could be the answer to Manchester United's problems.
Honorable Mentions
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Diego Godin
In a defense lacking experience and composure, the 28-year-old Atletico Madrid defender would bring instant stability to a back line that desperately needs it.
Godin has been a key component of the Atletico side that won La Liga last season and featured in the Champions League final in Lisbon.
All his strengths—keeping his defense organized, aerial ability, composure under pressure and good with the ball at his feet—are something United's defense desperately need if they have any hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Two factors that might prohibit a deal from being done are cost and age. Godin would cost upwards of £30 million, and for a 28-year-old, the likelihood of getting any of that back in resale value is slim.
However, that being said, it's a small price to pay if Godin gets United back in the Champions League.
For the past five years, Gareth Bale has been one of the most influential players in world football. Those talents earned him a world-record £85 million move to Real Madrid the summer before last.
However, per the Express, there are rumors that despite bagging 35 goals and 20 assists in the past year and a half, Madrid would be willing to sell him to make room for the alleged summer arrival of German international and Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus.
While the cost would be prohibitive—figures have suggested he would cost upwards of £120 million—the combination of Bale and Angel Di Maria on the wings with Wayne Rooney, Falcao and Robin van Persie up top would be mouth-watering for United fans.
5. Raphael Varane, Real Madrid
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During the summer, Raphael Varane was the hottest young defender in world football.
He has drawn comparisons to French footballing legend Laurent Blanc, and current Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho—who brought Varane to Real Madrid while managing the Spanish club—has called him the best young defender in the world (h/t the Daily Mail).
His towering physical frame makes him valuable at both ends of the pitch, and like Rio Ferdinand—another Manchester United legend—his calm demeanor on the ball and reading of the game would prove invaluable.
Since signing for Real Madrid back in 2011, he has shown that, despite his youth, no moment is too big for him. In only his second game with the club, he became the youngest foreign player (18 years, 152 days) to score for Los Blancos, per the Daily Mail.
His other exploits have included scoring a crucial goal in the Copa del Ray semi-final against Barcelona and starting in last year's Champions League final.
This season, however, he hasn't had the same success—he's started only five games for Los Blancos—and reports have suggested he would available for roughly £20 million, per The Telegraph.
For a young defender with proven experience at the highest level and an extremely high ceiling, it would represent a phenomenal coup for United.
4. Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich
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Anyone who knows anything about football knows why landing a player of Arjen Robben's quality would be a great pickup for United.
Robben has performed at a consistently high level for 10 years and has been a success in every country he has graced his talents: the Netherlands, England, Spain and now Germany.
United fans in particular don't need any reminding of what he is capable of doing to teams. The club are familiar with Robben from his time at Chelsea—and more recently—Bayern Munich. It was his stunning volley in the quarterfinal of the Champions League that knocked United out of the competition in 2010.
Bringing Robben to United would provide the side with another player that could turn any game on its head at any moment. His blistering pace, quick feet and eye for goal are all qualities that the great United teams coveted in their wing play.
Because he recently extended his contract with Bayern Munich in June to go through 2017, the transfer fee he would command would be relatively high for a player north of 30 whose game is predicated on pace and trickery.
However, given his familiarity with Van Gaal from his time on the national team and with Bayern Munich, Robben has shown that he can not only adapt to the Dutch coach's style of play, but thrive in it.
3. Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
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As far as wingers go, Marco Reus checks all the boxes.
Pace: Check. Trickery: Check. Goals and Assists: Check. Young: Check. International pedigree: Check. Low buyout clause: Check.
The 25-year-old German international and Borussia Dortmund midfielder has it all.
Journalists and supporters the world over have been gushing over this young man's ability for the past three years. Conduct a YouTube search for Marco Reus and you'll get a good idea why.
His positional awareness and vision are superb, and in addition to being a solid passer of the ball, he provides a gift that United fans have been missing since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid: goals from midfield.
In the past two and a half years, he has scored a combined 56 goals and provided 35 assists for club and country. This is even more impressive when you consider he has only played 11 games this season due to a reoccurring ankle injury that kept him out of the Germany's World Cup squad this summer.
In addition to his skills, perhaps the most appealing side of Reus is his contract. Per the Express, Reus' buyout clause is only £20 million.
The one problem for United is that everyone else knows that as well. However, if United were to put in a bid that was significantly higher than the buyout clause in January, they might be able to force Dortmund's hand and avoid competition for his signature.
He's young, he's talented, and he'd be cheaper than Robben. What's not to like?
2. Kevin Strootman, Roma
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Before he tore his ACL and his meniscus in his left knee—ending his chances at appearing for the Netherlands at the World Cup—Louis van Gaal said he was one of only three players who was guaranteed a spot on the plane to the World Cup in Brazil (h/t beINSPORTS).
Kevin Strootman—a long-standing target for Manchester United before the injury—has seen his stock do nothing but rise since his €18 million move to AS Roma. Known for his passing ability, Strootman completed more passes in World Cup qualifying than any other player with 514, per Opta Sports (h/t BBC Sport).
However, what makes him valuable to a team like United is that his talents aren't limited to passing. Strootman is a technically-gifted midfielder who is both tactically aware and defensively astute. While United have midfielders that can pick a pass i.e. Daley Blind, Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera, none of them are quite the presence defensively.
By adding Strootman, Van Gaal could provide United's defense with much-needed help further up the field. In that way, he could fill the role that Darren Fletcher used to prior to his being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
Additionally, he would walk right into the team given his familiarity with Van Gaal's scheme and there would be no concern about a transition period.
The two biggest factors that might prevent a transfer are the aforementioned knee injury and that Roma's owners seem determined to keep him. Per the Mirror, Roma have attached a £60 million euro price tag on Strootman's head. He is a good player, but that figure would have to come down significantly if they were to acquire him.
1. Mats Hummels, Borussia Dortmund
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For the past several years, there has been no hotter target than German international and Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels.
In the past three years, he has been at the heart of the German and Borussia Dortmund sides that have won trophies galore—the DFB-Pokal, the Bundesliga and the World Cup to name a few.
His other exploits include leading Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2013 and being named club captain at the start of the 2014/2015 season.
Since his performance at the World Cup, where he earned a spot in tournament "Top XI," he is widely regarded as the best defender in the world and for good reason. His size, strength and leadership capabilities have had figures at Old Trafford drooling for quite some time.
Hummels—more than any other player on the market—has the ability to take Manchester United from potentially a top four team to a championship contender. While his abilities as a player would serve United and their back line well, his leadership and calmness under pressure would ultimately prove to be more important.
He will likely cost United upwards of £50 million, but at just 25, he could the leader of this United squad for a decade.
For that reason, Hummels isn't worth £50 million to United; he's invaluable.
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