Which Superstar Will Manchester United Sign Next Summer?
Since arriving at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho has made it a priority to add star quality to the squad. Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku have become his Red Galacticos, and next summer we are bracing ourselves for the latest big-name arrival.
The men being linked with Old Trafford are exciting, and it seems another forward is going to be a priority.
Antoine Griezmann, Gareth Bale and Paulo Dybala are the superstars being heavily rumoured for a switch to the Premier League to link up with the Special One—but which signing is most likely?
I have been speaking to contacts close to all three links to gauge the situation.
The Case for Antoine Griezmann
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There is a belief around Spain that Griezmann is regretting his decision to stay at Atletico Madrid last summer.
And let's face it, not many players get the chance to join United once they have already turned the club down.
An £84 million transfer was on the cards for him to arrive at Old Trafford last summer, until manager Diego Simeone convinced him to stay. Ultimately, Atletico Madrid’s transfer embargo and a loyalty to his club in their moment of need scuppered the deal.
It was a major disappointment for Mourinho, who had his eye on the French international for an entire season leading up to the potential deal.
United instead made Romelu Lukaku their marquee signing of summer 2017 but he is seen as the long-term central striker—and that is not how Griezmann had been viewed.
Griezmann was rather intended to become the Wayne Rooney replacement, supporting the main front man, and that role is still up for grabs, as neither Henrikh Mkhitaryan nor Juan Mata has convinced Mourinho they deserve the spot on a regular basis. Both those players could yet become available at the end of this campaign.
And that is why 26-year-old Griezmann could prove to be a special case when it comes to getting a second chance to join United.
Some sources who work close to dealings within Old Trafford suggested to me that Bale and Griezmann will both be pursued at the end of this season, yet only one of the two deals will be sealed.
It is likely United would face more serious competition for Griezmann.
He is being linked with Barcelona and would add an extra dimension to an attacking force that already boasts Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.
Another fear is that his head is now being guided towards Paris Saint-Germain project in his homeland. They have already proved money is no object with the signing of Neymar. Griezmann has a £91 million release clause as part of the terms set when he signed a contract extension to 2022—so he is attainable.
The Case for Gareth Bale
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Before getting into whether he will leave Madrid, it is important to realise that Bale is driven to be remembered as a success story in Spain.
He could have left last summer, and many predicted the writing was on the wall for the 28-year-old, particularly with the club seemingly pursuing Kylian Mbappe.
But Bale made up his mind during the summer window that he had unfinished business. He was not ready to walk away from what he considers to be the biggest club in the world. That has not changed.
Yesterday his agent Jonathan Barnett went on the attack, claiming his client needs more support from people inside the club. It seems a fair case, and the argument could even be pushed further to suggest that some media outlets are more harsh on Bale than other members of the squad.
Certainly, some influential figures around the Santiago Bernabeu do not feel Bale is worth the hassle. The player himself would point to game-defining performances from when he is fully fit in defence of his punchy £18 million-a-year contract, which runs to 2022.
Perhaps this is the price he pays for once having a world-record fee attached to him, but United are aware that Bale’s future remains uncertain on the continent.
He might want to finish his career with Madrid, but not everyone inside the club shares that same vision.
Bale's injury record has not been good while in Spain—he has missed a staggering number of matches over the past year, as reported here by Marca—yet United sources have suggested to me that it would not deter them from signing him.
The club believe that United would be his first choice if he chooses to return to England. He was tempted by them before making his world-record move to Real Madrid, and Mourinho has admitted he is an admirer and would fight to sign him if it becomes possible.
His pace and game-winning attributes would be welcome, despite already having the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford within the ranks.
The only real doubt at this stage is just how much he would cost.
There is a feeling in Madrid that the board would look to recoup every penny of the £85 million they shelled out on him in 2013—and that could be seen as a risk for United given his extended time in the treatment room.
The Case for Paulo Dybala
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The most impressive statement United could make would be to sign Dybala from Juventus.
From the moment general manager Giuseppe Marotta admitted he would be powerless to stop him from leaving the club if he fancies a new challenge, the rumours of a move have been piling in.
All the big guns started to get a mention in connection: Barcelona, PSG... Manchester United.
Marotta revealed Dybala has no release clause in his contract, which runs to 2022, but that does not mean he would come cheap.
United officials—led by chief executive Ed Woodward—are believed to have begun sounding out representatives to get an idea of how much it would cost to sign him. The answer is around £155 million—far more than either Bale or Griezmann.
Perhaps the figure should come as no surprise given the 23-year-old Argentinian is considered one of the world's best goalscoring talents, but it is likely to scare off United.
Sources in Italy were relaxed when I sounded them out about whether Dybala could be tempted by a move to the Premier League. There seemed to be a feeling he was happy to remain in Turin.
Perhaps the only who that could throw a spanner in the works is Paul Pogba. He spent time with Dybala at Juve and sent him a birthday message last week, signing off with "#AgentP"—a cheeky hint that he could help persuade the forward to join United.
The pair are good friends, and their connection on the pitch, developed in Italy, would lift the Reds to another level.
Who Will United Turn To?
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The man most Manchester United fans want to see in a red shirt next season is Dybala, according to a Twitter poll I held.
Of 9,697 votes, 41 percent responded in favour of the Argentinian—yet there also seemed an acceptance that it is unlikely.
Red Devil Chronicle tweeted: "Most will want Dybala, some will want Griezmann, very few will want Bale. However United will sign Bale cause he's cheaper. Bale £50m, Griezmann £100m & Dybala £150m."
There were other similar replies, including this one from United Front: "One would imagine the likelihood of getting them is inverse to the probability of United signing them. Preference - Dybala, Griezmann, Bale. Probability - Bale, Griezmann, Dybala."
And supporter Nick Akerman summed up the feeling around the poll by responding: "Ideally Dybala, realistically Griezmann, and please not Bale."
Contacts around Manchester, Madrid and Turin agreed that Dybala was a pipe dream—and that Bale is the man most likely to become a United player next season.
Sources close to Griezmann found it difficult to believe he would choose United over Barcelona or PSG, while Dybala is happy to remain at Juventus.
For Bale, there is no longer demand from other tier-one clubs and no longer the faith of his current club.
He made his name in the Premier League and, despite his intentions to remain in Spain, is destined to one day return.
United will test the water towards the end of the season to discover the likelihood of a deal, but they believe he will become available for less than the £85 million price tag that took him to Spain.
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