Ranking Manchester United's Transfer Window Targets
Manchester United's excellent recent run of form has cooled the urgency around the January transfer window.
Perhaps the absence of Eric Bailly as he attends to international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations will lead to investment in some cover there, but in general, it seems likely United will see more outgoings than incomings.
Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay have been linked with Everton, for example, per James Ducker of The Telegraph, and given their lack of game time, they would surely benefit from a move away. Bastian Schweinsteiger, too, has remained entirely peripheral to United's squad, in spite of his reinstatement in first-team training.
But even if there is not likely to be a huge amount of action after a blockbuster summer window in 2016, the rumour mill still turns. And where there are rumours, there has to be a ranking. Due to the uncharacteristic lack of volume of players linked with the Red Devils in January, we have expanded the criteria to include more long-term targets.
The ranking here is based not on how likely these players are to arrive at Old Trafford, nor how good they are in absolute terms. Rather, this is based on how much United need them given the make up of their current squad.
So try not to get too cross when a young Swedish defender outranks an established Colombian No. 10...
5. James Rodriguez
1 of 5The out-of-favour Real Madrid man has been linked with a United move, per Emanuele Giulanelli of The Sun, who pointed out that he "shares the same representative as Jose Mourinho in Jorge Mendes."
There is always a risk to proclamations like the one which follows. It is possible that James Rodriguez could arrive at Old Trafford and be the catalyst for a new era of triumph—a modern day equivalent of Eric Cantona. But that seems really, really unlikely.
What actually seems more likely to be true is that United do not need Rodriguez at all.
First off, much of United's recent upturn in form has arrived since Jose Mourinho abandoned the use of a traditional No. 10, Rodriguez's best position by a distance. Secondly, Mourinho already has plenty of talent at his disposal if he ever wants to go back to using a playmaker directly behind a centre-forward.
Juan Mata has been excellent in that role; Wayne Rooney has been less so, but he's still an option. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has the chops to play the position, which might be necessary if Antoine Griezmann (about whom more later) eventually arrives.
And with Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira developing during loan spells away and plenty of exciting forwards coming through the youth ranks, this would seem to be an entirely unnecessary purchase, particularly with Rodriguez having struggled to make a definitive impact at Madrid.
4. Nelson Semedo
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Alex Porter of the Manchester Evening News reported that "there has been talk of a January bid for full-back [Nelson] Semedo," but that the 23-year old told reporters, "You can rest easy, I'm completely focussed on Benfica and I'm hoping to continue here for many years to come."
Nelsinho, as the right-back is better known, could be a potentially useful signing, though, should it come to pass. After all, his is a position Mourinho at least needs to think about.
Antonio Valencia has exceeded most people's expectations this season and has made the position his own for the time being. Cover exists in the form of Matteo Darmian. Though the Italian has often been found on the left so far this season, right-back is his more natural role. Timothy Fosu-Mensah has played there for both the reserves and the first team, but it seems unlikely that he'll end up there in the long term.
Given Valencia is 31 and Darmian has not exactly set the Premier League alight since his arrival, thinking about an exciting long-term replacement is not a bad idea. Whether that is Semedo or not remains to be seen, but unlike Rodriguez, there is at least an obvious logic to his potential signing.
3. Victor Lindelof
3 of 5Anthony Jepson of Manchester Evening News reported, "United have cooled their interest in Benfica defender Victor Lindelof."
This cooling is apparently predicated on the excellent form of Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones, "despite early concerns they might not be up to the task," per Jepson. This is all sound logic. Jones and Rojo have hugely exceeded expectations, manoeuvring themselves into the position of first-choice centre-back pairing at Old Trafford.
So with Bailly and Chris Smalling as obvious direct replacements, Fosu-Mensah already in the first-team squad and ready to step in and Axel Tuanzebe developing in the reserves, a new centre-back purchase is not looking all that urgent.
But Jones and Rojo's form is only a couple of months old. Rojo, Smalling and Jones have all missed plenty of games through injury in their time at United, as indeed has Bailly. So this pips the signing of Nelsinho in terms of the Red Devils' requirements.
More quality centre-back cover is never a bad thing.
2. Antoine Griezmann
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On January 1, Duncan Castles reported in The Times that United are interested in acquiring the services of Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid in this summer's transfer window.
These two players are of such quality that they automatically move into the top two spots in this ranking. However, even if Griezmann might outshine his team-mate in terms of his status as a world star, United's squad makeup means Niguez's arrival would probably suit the Red Devils a little better.
Griezmann is a magnificent talent. He may be struggling a little this season, by his own lofty standards, but he still has six goals and four assists in La Liga and three goals and two assists in the Champions League this season. Given his recent history, any slowdown in productivity should probably fall into the "form is temporary, class is permanent" bracket.
But none of this changes the fact that United have so many talented forwards who can play up front, on either flank or behind the striker.
Griezmann is immensely flexible. He has been playing up front in a 4-4-2 for much of this season, but broadly speaking, he would be competing for places with some combination of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Rooney, Jesse Lingard and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He would, of course, be considerably better than a couple of those, and United's average level of quality would improve a good deal with his arrival, but in terms of an obvious need in the squad, he ranks slightly lower than his current team-mate.
Which is not to say he would be anything other than an incredibly exciting signing.
1. Saul Niguez
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Michael Carrick has been absolutely integral to United's resurgence this season. He, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba have formed a complementary and dominant midfield three. Had Mourinho struck upon this combination earlier, United's league position now could be a lot more favourable.
But in truth, while the Red Devils have a decent amount of midfield options for now, the potential departure of Schneiderlin and Mourinho's lack of interest in Schweinsteiger means that cover will get stretched pretty thinly, pretty quickly.
Marouane Fellaini played against Middlesbrough. That alone is argument for drafting in additional reinforcements.
And, of course, Carrick is 35. He cannot keep this up forever, particularly since he has become an automatic selection for Mourinho. Niguez could be considered a long-term replacement for United's stalwart Geordie.
He would bring plenty to the party. He can play anywhere across midfield and has played as an anchor man and a No. 10 this season. His best performances have come in the heart of midfield, but he has plenty of strings to his bow. He is an all-energy package, at home breaking up play and capable of contributing in attack.
And he is just 22 years old, meaning he could be a long-term addition to United's squad. He may not be the player Griezmann is, but he fits the bill at Old Trafford to a tee.
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