3 Players Manchester United Must Buy Before The End Of The Transfer Window

So, Manchester United have finally signed a player. A long wait after the services of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera were secured more than a month earlier, and quite possibly a knee-jerk reaction to their opening day home defeat at the hands of Swansea City. The name of Marcos Rojo was barely mentioned in and around Old Trafford for the last couple of months, but a successful World Cup campaign coupled with United’s inability to compete for marquee names like Mats Hummels in the absence of European football this campaign has opened the door for the Sporting Lisbon rebel to complete his ‘dream’ move to United. But, while Rojo would offer able competition for the LB position and fill in at the LCB position, is his signing merely enough for United to lock horns with the big boys this season? Let’s take a look at 3 signings that Louis van Gaal needs to make to make United genuine contenders for a Top 4 spot and beyond.

1. Arturo Vidal

While Juventus keep insisting that Arturo Vidal isn’t for sale, there is little doubt that the Bianconeri might be forced to sell if United break the bank for the Chilean midfielder. United have lacked a driving box-to-box midfielder of the Roy Keane mould since the Irishman parted ways, and with Louis van Gaal insisting they play with a 3-5-2 formation, Vidal would ease into the United line-up effortlessly. There are very few players in world football, if any, better than Vidal in his position – a true all-round midfielder who can offer as much offensively as defensively. Vidal scored 11 goals in 32 Serie A appearances for Juventus last season, guiding them to their third consecutive Scudetto.

Herrera adds a touch of calmness, intelligence and lungs in the middle of the park, but United the brawn and the muscle to compete with the League’s best. City have Yaya Toure, Chelsea have Matic, United must buy Vidal. With Michael Carrick in the sidelines, and Marouane Fellaini out of favor, United’s options in midfield are few and lack the quality that Vidal promises to add to the squad. A 3-5-2 wouldn’t work without someone like Vidal mopping up defensively as well as supporting the attack, which Fletcher and Herrera failed to do against Swansea, and much of United’s prospects this season rests on the capture of Vidal. United need a marquee signing in midfield, and more importantly, a bully. Vidal ticks all the right boxes.

2. Mehdi Benatia

While the acquisition of Mats Hummels looks unlikely because United cannot offer the World Cup winner European football this season, the name of Serie A’s No.1 CB last season has propped up in the last few days. Marcos Rojo can play LB, he is likely to be the left-sided centre back in Louis van Gaal’s 3-5-2 system. But while the signing of Rojo does add much-needed depth to a shaky defence, the experienced heads of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have still not been replaced. And given the inconsistencies of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, an experienced top quality CB is still a priority. Daley Blind is an unlikely candidate now, given Rojo has already put pen to paper, which leaves Mehdi Benatia as an ideal prospect to fill the holes in United’s defence.

It was never going to be an easy task to replace skipper Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, but the club had time to weigh up their options. It has been known for eight months that Vidic was leaving and Ferdinand’s performances have increasingly signified the end of a great career. Benatia is a deal that could happen if United are interested, and given Woodward has promised that the funds are there, money wouldn’t be a hurdle. United need a CB to truly challenge for Top 4 this season, how far will Woodward go to deliver it?

3. Angel Di Maria

Real Madrid would be keen to sell, the player would also to be keen to play regularly for a top club like United i nstead of sulking on the bench at the Bernabeu. Angel Di Maria was the best player on the pitch at Lisbon in the Uefa Champions League three months back, and now the Argentine has become an outcast at Madrid. James Rodriguez’s World Cup heroics was enough for Fiorentino Perez to write another fat cheque, but Di Maria’s fall from stature and significance at the club can play into Manchester United’s hands. The pursuit of Angel di Maria appears to be a recent, opportunistic request by Van Gaal. After an outstanding season with Real Madrid, few would have thought he would be available this summer. It makes footballing, as well as economic sense, to cash in on Madrid’s overcrowded roster. 

Di Maria can play as a winger as well as an attacking midfielder, a role in which he revelled in a midfield three at Real last season. And the Argentine would offer Louis van Gaal tactical flexibility with regard to formations. Di Maria, on his day, is arguably the best playmaker in the world, and possesses just the kind of spark Manchester United have been missing for some time now. Undoubted quality, availability and a marquee signing to make the fans happy, United could do their European ambitions a whole lot good if they rescue the Argentine from his Madrid misery.