Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United: 5 Players Who Could Replace Him at Inter

Despite Wesley Sneijder’s very public comments that he wants to stay at the San Siro, speculation about the Dutch midfielder’s move to Manchester United has escalated in recent days.

Sir Alex Ferguson has openly stated that he is in the hunt for a midfielder good enough to replace the retired Paul Scholes. The Old Trafford club was heavily linked for a move for Arsenal’s Samir Nasri, however Ferguson has effectively ruled out his chances of signing the Frenchman. (BBC Sport.)

Manchester United’s apparent resignation in the hunt for Nasri has ignited rumours that Inter Milan is willing to sell Sneijder to the Red Devils, for a fee of about £35 million.

Ignoring all of the practical issues such as; will Sneijder fit in at United? Is he overpriced given his age? And, is he fit enough to endure the challenges of Premier League football? This slideshow aims to take a look at how Inter Milan will cope if he was to leave I Nerazzurri.  

I have aimed to make this slideshow as realistic as possible. Of course there are plenty of midfielders able to fill his role but the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas are probably beyond Inter’s reach. The same can be said of Daniele De Rossi, a passionate Roma fan who may be unwilling to leave his hometown club.

Marek Hamšík

Current Club: Napoli

Marek Hamšík has earned the reputation for being one of the best young midfielders in European footballer. The twenty three year old Slovakian has been a central figure in Napoli’s domestic campaign, making 37 league appearances and scoring 11 goals last season.

In many ways the Slovakian has been the spearhead of Napoli’s recent success. The Italian club came third in the Serie A last season and the prospect of playing Champions League football could be enough to tempt him to remain with the club, at least for another season. That being said, there has been past interest from Inter Milan to secure the services of the attacking midfielder.  

Hamšík turns 24 later this month suggesting that his best days are ahead of him, although his form in the past four seasons has been impressively consistent.

Hamšík’s passing ability is not far behind Sneijder’s, and like the Dutchman he is capable of scoring important goals. That being said, his defensive game is not as strong. Inter Milan must remember however that there is no player in the world that plays a game like Sneijder’s, or at least not as well. It will be hard to find a direct replacement and Hamšík could be a suitable compromise. 

The one drawback in signing Hamšík could be his valuation. Inter Milan’s finances are far from secure meaning it could be difficult to finance a move. Profits from Sneijder’s transfer will have to be used to pay off club debts. Napoli has recently claimed that it would cost 100 million euro’s for the club to part with the attacking midfielder; money that Inter do not have.

Luka Modrić

Current Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Luka Modrić has had a taste of Champions League football and it seems that he wants to continue indulging in playing club football at the highest possible level.

The Croatian maestro is the heart of Tottenham’s team, the driving force between midfield and attack and the link between the defence and midfield. He is invaluable to the White Hart Lane club, and a fan favourite.

Despite his first team status at Spurs Modrić has found himself heavily linked with a move to league rivals Chelsea. Indeed, the twenty five year old has done very little to play down rumours that he wants to leave White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have reportedly rejected two offers from Chelsea already. The bids were believed to have been in the region of £22 and £27 million pounds, a figure that Harry Redknapp claims is not enough, even though the club are totally unprepared to sell at any value.

Despite the resilience shown by Spurs to hold onto their stay player, Modrić is clearly a disgruntled figure. He wants to leave. If Inter Milan were in a position to make an offer that appeases Tottenham, perhaps the North London club would be better off selling their star player overseas rather than risk him aiding a rival.  

In terms of age Modrić is at a similar stage in his career to Sneijder, perhaps a season or two behind at most. If he was to join Inter he would be able to fit in immediately and is perhaps the best player in this slideshow. If I were Inter, this would be the replacement I would seek, but, like the situation with Hamšík, the Croatian could be too expensive.

Javier Pastore

Current Club: Palermo

Javier Pastore is the second talented Argentine in this list and after a successful season at Palermo, has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in European football.

The twenty two year old has already earned nine international caps and was voted as the Serie A young player of the year in 2010.

His experience in the Serie A could see him slot in nicely to Inter’s team. Like Sneijder his responsibility is to be the link between the midfield and offense and his fine form has already seen him become linked with a wealth of top European clubs; Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City and A.C Milan are all rumoured to be possible destinations for the promising midfield maestro.

Despite such speculation however, the youngster has stated that he is enjoying life in Sicily and is contracted to remain with the club until 2015. If Inter were to bid for the player, he would cost an incredible amount of money.

Samir Nasri

Current Club: Arsenal

Everybody is aware of the fiasco that currently surrounds Arsenal and Samir Nasri’s refusal to sign a new contract with the North London club. The French winger has become a talismanic presence in the Arsenal starting 11 and was tipped by many to be the perfect replacement for Cesc Fabregas in the Gunners’ midfield.

2010- 2011 was a breakthrough season for Nasri. While deputising for the injured Fabregas in the centre of midfield he emerged as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. It seems however that he is aware of his ability and wants to achieve instant success by signing for one of Arsenal’s rivals.

Arsene Wenger has responded to transfer speculation with his defiant refusal to let one of his star assets leave, a trait for which the French manager has become famed for in recent years.

It seems however that Wenger is fighting a losing battle and Arsenal will lose one of their best players on a free transfer if they do not sell him in this window. Samir Nasri has been linked with Inter Milan in the past, however, reports suggest that Frenchman is not keen on a move to the Serie A.

Instead it seems that the Frenchman is destined to play for one of Arsenal’s Premier League rivals. Perhaps it would be better for Wenger to offload his want- away player to a foreign league so as to minimise the risk of him hampering Arsenal’s domestic campaign.

If Nasri was to join Inter Milan he would be an ideal replacement for Sneijder. He has proven himself to be comfortable in the centre of midfield and is capable of scoring and creating important goals. He is a sublime dribbler and possesses a bountiful amount of flair.

Unlike most of the names mentioned in this slideshow, Nasri will be available on the cheap meaning Inter can use some of the proceeds of Sneijder’s sale to pay off some debt. If Inter were to lose Sneijder, perhaps this could be the man they turn to.

Or, Has Ricardo Alvarez Already Replaced Him?

Current Club: Inter Milan (new signing)

On July 5^th 2011 Inter Milan may have signed the perfect replacement for Sneijder in Ricardo  Alvarez. The 23 year old Argentine joined for a fee believed to be 11.75 million euro’s.

Ricardo Alvarez has gained fame for his flexibility; he has played in almost every position in midfield for former club Vélez Sársfield which had seen him become a fan favourite at his former club. During his time at Vélez, Alvarez helped the team secure two Clausura titles.