Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder Was Born a Manchester United Player

After Manchester United painfully dented their Premier League title hopes with a 0-0 draw at Newcastle, it became clear that something new is desperately needed in the United team.

In the game up at St. James' Park, the Red Devils looked lacklustre in attack, with Wayne Rooney and then Michael Owen coming too deep in search of the ball, instead of adding further presence in the final third.

The play was almost always shimmied across to Nani, Ryan Giggs and later Antonio Valencia, who would take it in turns to either beat the full-back and cross from the byline, or cut inside and lay the ball off to Rooney or Michael Carrick to have a pop at goal.

It wasn't necessarily too predictable, and didn't fully lack creativity, but showed the one big flaw in this Manchester United team: they have no channel between defence and attack.

Sir Alex Ferguson can still get away with 4-4-2 thanks to his sublime wingers and his creative genius of a support striker that is Wayne Rooney, but sooner or later he'll need to change and add a real playmaker to the lineup.

At the moment, Paul Scholes is United's deep-lying playmaker with his expertly accurate long balls, while Wayne Rooney likes to drop deep at times and take up that role to decent effect.

However, Scholes will be retiring soon, and due to his age (and thus slower acceleration, less stamina and slower reaction times) he can become a liability on occasion as he proved in the FA Cup against Manchester City.

As for Rooney, adopting the playmaker role does nothing but hurt his own game (as he is still considered a striker). While it helps Javier Hernandez, it doesn't add great benefit to the team.

So now you can see why, of all players, Manchester United need to find a way to snatch Wesley Sneijder from current Serie A and Champions League champions Inter Milan, as Sneijder is the ultimate playmaker. 

Then again, why Sneijder, and not a young, slightly cheaper option like Steven Defour or Javier Pastore?

They'll certainly be the players Sir Alex will look at he if can't get Sneijder, but there are many reasons why the World Cup runner-up is United's perfect summer target.

Firstly, Wesley Sneijder would bring more goals out of Wayne Rooney, as the Dutchman's positional sense is exemplary; he virtually always stays exactly between the holding midfielders and the strikers, and in line with the wingers, consistently providing the channel between defence and attack.

This would mean Wayne Rooney wouldn't come so deep looking for the ball, ultimately meaning Rooney would spend most of his time in the final third, doing what he does best in a meaningful position—i.e. being in and around the penalty area, using his creativity to beat defenders and have a shot on goal.

Secondly, Sneijder has all it takes to become an instant success at Old Trafford, and not because of his experience at big clubs like Real Madrid or his impeccable grasp of the English language, as well as his knowledge of Italian and Spanish to add to his mother tongue, Dutch. 

As an ambidextrous player, the flying Dutchman can pass to either wing with equal effect, and with Manchester United's historic focus on wing play, Sneijder would never have shortage of options every time he looks up to see who to pass to.

And with his amazing ability over short distances to pick out a defence-unlocking pass, Sneijder would create multiple goals for the likes of Chicharito, Rooney and the wingers, therefore earning him lots of assists. 

Thirdly, Sneijder would have no qualms settling in playing Premier League football. Like all of the current Dutch crop, the midfielder has the right stature, enough upper body strength, as well as the right technique, to hold players off the ball and use his imagination and creativity to work a way past them before looking to start the next attack.

Such creativity is lacking in the Premier League, with defenders (especially from the lower-ranked teams) not so used to tricks and skills that see the ball go through their legs, meaning Sneijder would probably even find it easy at times playing for United.

A lack of creativity in this league is partly the reason why Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has shined, and why even players like Blackpool's Charlie Adam are making a name for themselves.

Fourthly, due to the fact Sneijder used to play on the left-wing, as well as his ambidexterity, the Dutchman represents tactical gold for Sir Alex Ferguson.

With a ambidextrous playmaker like Sneijder in the team, Sir Alex can positionally interchange Sneijder with the wingers, thus fooling markers, creating space in the middle or on the wing and opening up key spaces in the final third for players to shoot and play someone through on goal. 

In essence, it would add a new dimension of unpredictability to all Manchester United attacks. And if United get their other target, Aston Villa star Ashley Young, it would help bring out the best in him too, considering he's played for England and Villa both on the wing and in the playmaker role.

And fifthly, Wesley Sneijder could well be the new heir to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to free-kick taking.

Ronaldo took up the role after David Beckham left Old Trafford, and while the likes of Nani and Rooney have tried since, nobody at United has truly been able to fill the void left by the Real Madrid superstar.

But Sneijder could now be that man, with his stellar placement of the ball confirming him as a true free-kick taking great. Such placement also means Sneijder is a top corner-kick taker, again something United desperately need.

The only drawback to Sneijder's transfer would be Sir Alex Ferguson might have to go with a 4-3-3 and only play one central striker which, albeit is fine for Rooney and Hernandez, wouldn't bring out the best in Dimitar Berbatov. So if Sneijder is signed, expect Berbatov to jump ship.

But that seems increasingly likely anyway, with the Bulgarian rumoured to be severely unhappy at having to settle for bench position despite being the Premier League's top goalscorer.

And it seems increasingly probable Wesley Sneijder will be hitting Manchester shores, with an alleged swap deal with Nani in the pipeline.

It's a transfer that would make perfect sense, due partly to Nani's inconsistent form, but most because of one thing, i.e. the fact that Sneijder is a perfect fit for the Red Devils.

Sir Alex Ferguson knows it, the fans know it, the media know it; Wesley Sneijder was born a Manchester United player.