EPL: Top 8 Manchester United Transfer Rumours This Summer

Manchester United won the Premier League by nine points last season, scored nine goals more than any other team and lost fewer than half the games of their nearest rivals, Chelsea and Manchester City.

This with a squad some ''experts'' thought lacked substance and depth and felt their collapse at the end of the 2009-10 season to hand Chelsea the title meant they may even miss out on Champions League football this season, with Paul Wilson from the Guardian citing their inability to seize a game from midfield, a potential over-reliance on Dimitar Berbatov and an ageing defense.

How wrong could he and fellow Guardian writers have been?

Berbatov was the league's top scorer. The midfielders performed consistently well and showed balance and poise. Edwin Van Der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra were, at times, impenetrable forces.

So where to now for the club, which has won an unprecedented 19 titles?

They moved quickly to sign one of the hottest young goalkeepers in world football to replace Van der Sar, who has since retired. Rio Ferdinand's ongoing injury concerns should be of less worry to manager Sir Alex Ferguson now that he has signed the impressive young centre-back Phil Jones from Blackburn Rovers. And United have added another real goal threat to the team in former Aston Villa winger-cum-striker Ashley Young.

But there have been other rumours. Some of these may never materialise, but given Ferguson's determination to evolve his squad and United's financial power, some may still be on this horizon.

Here I countdown the top eight players linked with a move to Old Trafford.

8: Shinji Kagawa: Japan's New Midfield Star

Age: 22

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Transfer Value: £15 million

Replacement for: Ji-Sung Park

Career Profile

A skillful player who scored an amazing 55 goals in four years in Japanese football from midfield, he would move to the Bundesliga, where he helped his new club to the title with some fine performances early in the season before picking up an injury in January.

7: Steven Defour: Belgian Midfield Maestro

Age: 23

Position: Central Midfielder

Club: Standard Liege

Transfer Value: £15 million

Replacement for: Darron Gibson

Career Profile

He's a midfielder who has been linked with United and Arsenal on several occasions. In his second year at Standard, he was awarded the captaincy at 19 and was rewarded for his excellence with the Golden Shoe at the end of the season, a recognition of the league's MVP. 

Spartak Moscow are also keen on the combative player, but Talksport suggests he still prefers a move to the Premier League.

6: Juan Mata: El Speedy Gonzalez

Age: 23

Position: Winger

Club: Valencia

Transfer Value: £20 million

Replacement for: Ryan Giggs

Career Profile

Real Madrid may now regret letting a young Mata leave their youth teams four years go as the winger has built an impressive career in Valencia with 33 goals in 129 La Liga appearances.

His individual brilliance has now been recognised with an extended run in the Spanish national team.

5: Paulo Henrique Ganso: The ''New Kaka''

Age: 21

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Santos

Transfer Value: £25 million

Replacement for: Ji-Sung Park

Career Profile

Having received a nomination in the award for breakthrough player of the Brazilian championship two years ago, Ganso has since picked up four trophies with his club and also won the best player award in the 2010 Copa do Brasil.

He has recently been selected in the Brazilian first-team squads by coach Mano Menezes.

4: Samir Nasri: France's ''Petit Prince''

Age: 24

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Arsenal

Transfer Value: £20 million

Replacement for: Paul Scholes

Career Profile

Ranked by the EA Sports Index as the Premier League's sixth-best midfielder last year, Frenchman Nasri was perhaps one of Arsenal's two best players in a disappointing campaign, scoring 15 goals and setting up many more for his teammates.

But the tricky midfielder is now looking for a new environment where he can win trophies, and he has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester City.

Has only one season left on his contract at the Emirates.

3: Edinson Cavani: The Next Diego Forlan?

Age: 24

Position: Forward

Club: Napoli

Transfer Value: £30 million

Replacement for: Dimitar Berbatov

Career Profile

Rangy Uruguayan forward Cavani shot to fame with his strong performances as a youngster for Sicilian Serie A side Palermo, which earned him a move to the ambitious Napoli.

Here, he scored a goal in each of his first four starts and ended the season as the league's second-highest scorer with 25 goals in 36 matches.

He has also formed a strong attacking partnership with compatriots Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez.

2: Marek Hamsik: Nifty Neapolitan

Age: 23

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Napoli

Transfer Value: £30 million

Replacement for: Paul Scholes

Career Profile

Hamsik joined Napoli from Brescia for £4.5 million four years ago and has since become an established star in Serie A and for country Slovakia, who he has appeared for nearly 50 times.

Elegant and skilful on the ball, he reminds me of Zinedine Zidane with his effortless style and skill and could become a world-class player before long.

1: Wesley Sneijder: The Final Piece of the Jigsaw?

Age: 27

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Internazionale

Transfer Value: £35 million

Replacement for: Paul Scholes

Career Profile

Having come through the famed Ajax Academy, Sneijder scored 48 goals in five seasons with the Amsterdam giants before securing a dream €27 million move to Real Madrid in 2007.

But he moved onto the Italian capital after an unsuccessful stint as a Galactico, and he has become the fulcrum of an Inter team which prides itself on a slick passing game. 

Perhaps a player with the greatest resemblance to Paul Scholes of all eight mentioned in this slideshow, Sneijder's success in domestic football and his experiences playing for Holland will appeal to Sir Alex Ferguson, who has signed youngsters Chris Smalling, David De Gea, Javier Hernandez and Phil Jones and will look for a calming, mature influence in his side.