Manchester United will star their new campaign with Jose Mourinho in the hot seat at Old Trafford, after Louis Van Gaal was sacked by the United board one day after winning the FA Cup. The Red Devils finished 5th last season, which means Mourinho will be able to focus completely on the domestic campaign for the first year in charge. His goal will be ensure that United get back to their free flowing style which became famous under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson. Many players will be waiting anxiously to find out their whether they will be in managers plans for next season.
Mourinho has been handed a big transfer budget to make sure that the mistakes of past three seasons aren’t repeated, where United missed out on several of their top targets and struggled with the failed signings of superstars like Falcao and Angel Di Maria. Although United are on the lookout for players all across the pitch, it is the attacking department which is in urgent need of repairs right now. Two players who will be on Mourinho’s radar this summer are the Schalke duo Julian Draxler and Leroy Sane. Both have captured the attention of many managers across Europe with stellar performances throughout last season.
Sane is a versatile attacking player capable of playing across the front line, his blistering pace and dribbling ability makes him a winger who should instill fear into the opposition defenders. A bit like Raheem Sterling, the German is capable of playing upfront also, where he was deployed by the current Wolfsburg manager Andre Breitenreiter. United finishing the season with the front three of Lingard, Martial and Rashford showed how much work is needed in strengthening that department. Memphis Depay who arrived in Manchester with huge hype surrounding his talent, finished the season as one of the worst signings of the season. Any further addition in the attacking third for United could mean the end of Depay’s United career.
Sane has a tendency to drift inside from time to time on his favored left foot. His wide range of passing ability makes him perfect supplier for the strikers upfront, this is only proven by the fact that he had more assists last season than the likes of Andre Schurrle and Marco Reus. His teammate Julian Draxler is one of most sort after midfielders in Europe right now, having previously been touted for a move to Arsenal, the 22 year old is reportedly wanted at Old Trafford this summer.
Draxler a natural left sided midfielder is currently on international duty with Germany at the Euro 2016, where he will be watched by scouts of clubs across Europe. He was impressive in the Bundesliga last season, scoring six goals and assisting a further five, and was excellent in Wolsburg’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid. With Mourinho not too keen on Juan Mata from his time at Chelsea and Depay who has been repeatedly criticized for his work rate, something the Portuguese will not accept, Draxler is seen as someone who can add quality to the United attacking options.
Draxler does possess the attributes which a player playing in the wide areas would require, but there is so much more to his game that it would be unfair to restrict him as a winger. He is full of pace, flair and creativity; a player who can add that extra touch of quality to the Premier League if he decides to make a move. Mourinho will have a tough time selecting between these two highly talented German midfielders but one feels, that if given the proper guidance and training Draxler has the potential to become one of the world’s best.