Summer Transfers: Three Players Who Manchester United Should Look To Sign This Summer

Ever since Louis Van Gaal took over, there have been a flurry of rumors about who is going to come to Old Trafford. From Marco Reus to Toni Kroos, there have been plenty of names mentioned. But most of those are in hope rather than expectation. Some of the players being touted are playing for league champions and clubs who are in the Champions League and aren’t at all likely to make the switch to Manchester United this summer, especially when United aren’t even playing in Europe.

While you can say that, last season was just an aberration and that United will be back in Europe this time around, the size of the rebuilding process at hand means that players are unlikely to jump ship. With that in mind, United will have to lower their expectations and either sign unproven young players or players from clubs who aren’t likely to win too much. The Red Devils have to be opportunistic in their deals and here are three players who they might very well be able to sign, if they push for them.

Antoine Griezmann – Real Sociedad

If there one young player that has been coveted by many top European clubs and is A. available this summer and B. will be willing to move to a big club, then it is Real Sociedad’s 23-year-old left winger Antoine Griezmann. Quick, young and skillful, the French winger is just what United need at the moment. A left winger who hugs the touchline, but is equally adept at cutting inside and dribbling past players, Griezmann would certainly be a welcome addition to a United squad that is in sore need of wingers.

With the 23-year-old Frenchman in the World Cup squad, his stock is sure to rise, and the Red Devils have to move quick if they have to snap him up. With the Frenchman not playing for a Champions League club, it might be easier to persuade him to join United, although the club are likely to face stiff competition from both Arsenal and Real Madrid for his signature.

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Daley Blind – Ajax

At a time when Manchester United are chasing the likes of Mats Hummels to fill the void left by the departing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the Dutchman might look like an odd choice given that he is only 23. But the simple fact is that he is already an established international and is highly versatile and is capable of playing at either left-back, center-back or in defensive midfield, where he is likely to play for Holland in Brazil next month.

Blind would be a perfect fit at United, partly because of his versatility and partly because of the fact that there are few who know him better than the incoming Manchester United manager, Louis Van Gaal. With that being the case and with Blind playing for Ajax, it might easier to lure him away from Amsterdam, than any of the other center halves being touted at the moment. His versatility coupled with his ability both in the air and the ball at his feet and his relatively cheap price make him a perfect fit for Manchester United.

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William Carvalho – Sporting Lisbon

One player who United need more than most is a defensive midfielder, for they don’t have any at the moment. And Sporting’s 22-year-old Portuguese international William Carvalho would be the perfect package for United. Carvalho has emerged as the next big thing to come out of Portugal, thanks to his ability to control the game and anticipate and position himself where the action is.

With United needing a defensive midfielder, capable of not just doing the defensive work but also starting out an attack, there can be few better than Carvalho capable of doing that right now. Given United’s favorable relationship with the club and the fact that his agent is Jorge Mendes, luring him to Old Trafford might not be as difficult as it might be with other midfielders United are chasing at the moment. But his £37.5m price tag means that he will not be available on the cheap, but it is a risk worth taking as he is sure to slot into the center of United’s midfield for the next decade.