Manchester United Transfer Rumors: 5 Alternatives to Midfielder Wesley Sneijder

According to a report in the Mirror, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is interested in signing Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who is regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. Sir Alex would have to replace the fantastic Paul Scholes, who retired from football at the end of the last season, which is why a midfielder like Sneijder would be a great addition to the United team. According to that report, United's offer for Sneijder was likely to be accepted by Inter Milan but that agreeing with personal terms could be difficult for Manchester United.

Sneijder was forced out of Real Madrid following the big money signings of Ricardo Kaka, Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo and joined Jose Mourinho, who was then the manager of Inter Milan. The Portuguese tactician made the midfielder a better player and under Mourinho, Sneijder played a pivotal role for Inter, helping them win the treble which included a fabulous Champions League title.

The Dutchman continued his impressive form into the World Cup and emerged as one of the best players of the tournament and if not for Arjen Robben's botched finish, the Netherlands could have won the World Cup. However, following the departure of Mourinho, Inter Milan had a season in which they struggled to match the heights of the previous season and Sneijder could be interested in leaving the club despite being on a long-term contract.

However, according to the Daily Mail, Manchester United have apparently pulled out of any possible deal for Sneijder because they could not agree terms with the 27-year-old, who was apparently demanding wages in excess of £200,000 per week. If that is indeed the case, then it is possible that United could target other possible targets. Here are five players who could be targeted by Manchester United.

1. Samir Nasri

According to this report in the Guardian, Manchester United were apparently the first club to inquire regarding the availability of Arsenal's Samir Nasri, but the Gunners have made it clear that they are not interested in selling the talented midfielder to the Premier league champions. However, with Nasri having only one year left on his deal, they run the risk of losing him on a free transfer in the next season which is why Arsenal are open to the idea of selling Nasri to rivals Manchester City, if they can reach an agreement with the Gunners.

Nasri could quit the Gunners and join Manchester City in the next few weeks for a reported fee in the region of £23 million, and according to some reports in France, he could earn as much as £160,000 per week at City. With the future of Cesc Fabregas being uncertain, it was expected that Nasri would play a more central role if Fabregas departs, but both could leave the Gunners in the same summer.

Though Arsenal might not be interested in negotiating a deal for Nasri with Manchester United, the Red Devils could pull off the deal if they offer significantly higher than what City has offered for the French international. Also, United are a team which regularly wins trophies, which could also lure Nasri to join the Red Devils instead of their rivals.

2. Luka Modric

According to this report in the Guardian in June, Manchester United were apparently interested in a move for Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric, who is considered by Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the best players in the Premiership. With United in pursuit of a creative midfielder, Modric is certainly a player who could be targeted by United. Chelsea and Manchester City are also apparently interested in the Croatian playmaker but Chelsea are the club to be very strongly linked with the midfielder.

According to the Sun, Chelsea are set to make their third bid for the midfielder in the hope of finally landing him in this transfer window before the deadline. Modric is settled in London, which could be a factor in favor of the Croatian international interested in a move to Chelsea. However, Tottenham are desperately holding onto the midfielder because he is one of the most important players in the side and should he leave the club, they will find it difficult to reach Champions League places in this season.

Though Chelsea are currently the favorites to sign Modric if Tottenham do sell the midfielder, Manchester United could hijack their move because they could meet Chelsea's price and will also be attractive for Modric because of their consistent performances for over two decades. Also, Manchester United could offer some players to go the other way and even former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov could be offered since he has lost his starting place in the team.

3. Christian Eriksen

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United are apparently interested in a move for Danish international Christian Eriksen, who is rated as one of the best young talents in the world. The 19-year-old Ajax midfielder impressed against England at Wembley and also, Eriksen is regarded to have the potential to be a world-class player in the near future.

However, Eriksen claims he is very happy at Ajax at the moment.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly interested in building a team for the future without compromising on winning trophies in the current season which is why he has retained experienced players like Michael Owen and Ryan Giggs. The signings of Javier Hernandez, David De Gea, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling in the past year indicate that he is preparing to build another team which can help United dominate in the future.

Though Wesley Sneijder is a player who can add a lot of quality to the team and is already ready for United unlike Eriksen, the Ajax playmaker can be a great addition who can make the difference for United if he can settle in easily at Old Trafford. He is a player of huge potential and under Ferguson, who is one of the greatest managers, he could develop into a world-class player, which is why a move to Manchester United has benefits for both the club and the player.

4. Paulo Henrique Ganso

According to the Metro, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is apparently interested in a move for Brazilian club Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso, who also played for the national team in the Copa America. The midfielder has attracted the interest from a number of sides including the likes of AC Milan and Tottenham. Santos are keen to hold on to the midfielder but the clubs do have the chance of signing the youngster.

The Brazilian international is valued at around £25 million, which could be considered a steep price for the midfielder, considering that he missed a large chunk of the previous season due to injuries. However, Ganso is considered to be one of the best young midfielders for Brazil and could be a world-class player in the future.

Manchester United have the money to sign the midfielder but it will be doubtful if they will spend so much on a player who has not played even a year in the EPL. Also, Santos wants the player to stay at least till the end of the Club World Cup and it seems like the player is also interested in taking part in the competition.

5. Mario Goetze

According to the Mirror, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is apparently keen to move for Borussia Dortmund's young midfielder Mario Goetze, who played an important role in securing the Bundesliga title in the previous season. Goetze is regarded as one of the best young players in the world and the Germany international has shown that he has the potential to be a world-class player in the future.

However, Borussia Dortmund will be reluctant to lose one of their best players in the team, especially after losing influential midfielder Nuri Sahin, who has signed for Real Madrid. Goetze along with Shinji Kagawa are very important to the team as they add creativity, and Dortmund will look to hold on to him irrespective of the fee offered by United, considering that they are financially in a strong position and are also in the Champions League.

Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly interested in building a team for the future and Goetze is certainly one player who could add a lot of quality to the team. The 19-year-old midfielder is also versatile and is comfortable in a role behind the striker or on the wings. However, even if Fergsuon cannot seal the signing of Goetze, he will be satisfied with Tom Cleverley's progress in the last year and will hope that the midfielder can prove to be immense for United this season.