Manchester United Transfer News: Alexandre Lacazette, Ilkay Gundogan Rumours

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has encouraged the Red Devils to pursue Alexandre Lacazette in a bid to bolster their options up front.

Speaking with the Manchester Evening News (h/t James Phillips of the Daily Star), Saha claimed that the Old Trafford outfit need to add reinforcements at the sharp end of the pitch and thinks while the Lyon man may not be a household name, he’d be a brilliant acquisition:

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Could Lacazette thrive at United? I think so, it’s obvious he’s done really well in France, he’s scored many, many goals because he can threaten behind, he can score from far, he’s a very clever player.

It's a must United sign a striker because you always have the need for competition up front. That's what brings excellence to every player.

I would say that a big name is not something that is always good for a manager's experience. Maybe a bit more speed than before, to put defenders on their toes a bit more and to get behind defenders.

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In Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao, United’s forward options looked, on paper at least, pretty formidable last season. But only the former of the aforementioned trio flourished under Louis van Gaal, and it quickly became clear that while the current options were exceptional finishers, the Red Devils also needed dynamism.

Lacazette would bring those vibrant qualities in spades. As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, the Frenchman has refined predatory instincts in front of goal too:

Alongside Memphis Depay in a potential new-look United front-line, Lacazette’s rounded attributes would see him thrive. The Lyon man is capable of dropping in and linking the play well, but he’s at his most dangerous stretching defences vertically with his blistering pace; it’s an option United currently don’t possess in the forward positions.

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Naturally, Lyon will be keen to keep hold of the player, and with Champions League football back next season, they have plenty of gravitas to fight off any potential suitors. As noted here by beIN Sports’ Matt Spiro, there’s some financial incentives for Lacazette to stick around too:

Given the forward is local to the Stade de Gerland and is a product of the club’s revered academy, expect him to stay for at least another season and have a crack at the Champions League with his boyhood club. However, if Lyon do decide to cash in while his stock is high, United should be at the front of the queue to land him.

Dortmund Hoping for Gundogan Stay

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Borussia Dortmund have yet to give up hope in their attempts to get Ilkay Gundogan to sign a new deal, despite reported interest from Manchester United.

That’s according to BVB’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke, anyway. “Maybe there is still a chance that he has a rethink,” he is reported to have told WAZ newspaper (h/t Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star). “We are in talks and Ilkay is a decent lad.”

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As noted by Malata’s piece, the Red Devils remain in the hunt for the Dortmund midfielder. But as noted by Sport, sources in Germany suggest Barcelona are the favourites to sign Gundogan and will meet with his representatives this weekend.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell definitely thinks the United need reinforcements in the middle of the pitch and touts Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin as a potential option:

Running the rule over the United squad, the Frenchman should definitely be the player pursued at the expense of someone in Gundogan’s mould. Schneiderlin boasts superior defensive instincts, is more mobile and is tenacious in his off the ball work; at the moment, that’s what United need, not Gundogan’s effervescent playmaking skills.

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Nonetheless, Bundesliga expert Cristian Nyari still thinks the German will end up in the Premier League:

While Gundogan enjoyed a decent end to the season for BVB, ever since his prolonged injury layoff he hasn’t possessed the same verve that made him one of Europe’s finest central midfielders. Whether he stays at Dortmund or moves on, that’s something he must look to recapture next season.

Regardless, he’s not a player United should be pursuing as a priority. Van Gaal needs someone who can replicate the watchful influence of Michael Carrick at the base of his midfield; Gundogan is not and, even at his very best, never has been that kind of player.