Date: 4th June 2011 at 10:30am
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Manchester United’s defeat at the hands of the proposed best team ever, Barcelona FC, has shown the frailties that were even evident before our midfield were delivered several critical blows by Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.

If we had not played the attacking 4-4-2, we would have probably not seen that type of meltdown in our team’s engine room but it is hoped that this has lit a fire in the pit of Sir Alex Ferguson’s stomach that will mean an exciting summer transfer wise.

Before we look at our potential players and the players that I would like, I will show you the players that we are purported to have signed and how they will impact the club and our future signings.

David De Gea

De Gea maybe behind Reina and Victor Valdes right now but it is already being stated that he could be the long term replacement of the Real Madrid goalkeeper, Iker Casillas in the national team.

At the age of 20, he has drawn comparisons with the recently retired Edwin Van Der Sar due to his height, reflexes, composure and his experience having played and won a Europa League and Super Cup medal at his tender age. As he will be coming to Old Trafford to effectively replace the Flying Dutchman, it means that time has finally run out for the second-choice goalkeeper, Tomas Kuszack.

Anders Lindegaard has come in and is likely to be a part of the team and therefore allows our young English goalkeeper, Ben Amos to slot in as the third-choice goalkeeper.

Raphael Varane

The Lille-born centre-back was subject to increasing interest from Arsenal and Manchester United but our deal to sign him is very much in the same category as De Gea. He is exceptionally tall for an 18 year old at 6ft 3in with an athletic build but also quite agile with electric pace.

This has been his first season with Lille’s first team and was thrust in at the deep end on the 10th November 2010 when he made his professionally début for the club. What has caught the eye of both English clubs is his tactical and technical ability, something that the club’s youth coach has often commended him for. Although he is known to play as CB, he is very versatile and can play as a defensive midfielder and at a push as full-back, definitely a snip – €5m (£3.7m)

Ashley Young

He has been receiving praise from all corners of the English media for his performances at International level, however, he has been powerless to help Aston Villa, who despite making an inside sprint to finish 9th, spent much of the season near the relegation trap door.

Rumours have all but confirmed that he will be wearing the famed colours of United next season after his versatility, pace, crossing ability and set-pieces took him to Birmingham after showing promise as a Watford first-teamer. The problem with this signing is that he is a buy where he adds quality to the squad but not the first XI.

Nani can do what he does and better, Valencia and Park have different dimensions to their game which allows them to start the big games for Manchester United and Giggs can fill in at his more comfortable left-midfield.

This leaves Young in lurch as he is already passed the age where he can be classed as developmental thus he has to start performing consistently on a bigger stage, which I have for one have criticised him for. To get to the top, we have to start signing players who are going to push for the starting places, who are going to add a different dimension to our squad and who have a unique ability which isn’t found in players we already have.

These three signings show one for the right now/future, one that can grow into a great player and one to add depth to our squad. These matters aren’t what is most pressing at the moment. The best signing of the three for me is De Gea and that’s only because the situation has been forced on us by the retiring of the great Van Der Sar.

According to David Gill, we are in for a much busier summer than usual. Last season we signed three players and this summer we have already been linked with three so I assume there will be more on their way on top of these 3.

This piece is taken from new United blog ‘Expertise On United

 

49 responses to “3 done? A look at United’s potential summer signings”

  1. RedNaz says:

    David De Gea will come to united. He is no VDS, but who is? He will be a decent replacement but definitely not an improvement in the short term.
    Raphael Varane will also come to United but will be one for the future. He and Smalling will compete for the defence after Rio and Vida. If one of them makes it then it is good, but neither will be immediate.
    Ashley Young ?? I hope not. He will not add anything. We need world class players if we are to get the Champions League.
    Modrich, I hope not. If he is so good then why aren’t the giants of Europe knocking on his door. He is a decent player but another one who is only good for Spurs (remember Carrick and Berbatov).
    Sneider (around £20Million), I hope so, and think we will get him. He is world class and if it wasn’t for that he only has one year left on his Inter contract and is not willing to extend, then his price will be much higher.
    Alexis Sanches (around £32Million), may be and I hope so. Definitely world class…. definitely. Expensive but worth it.
    Javier Pastore (around £40Million), I hope so. Very expensive but definitely world class. Reminiscent of Kaka
    Karim Bezima (around £27Million), maybe, maybe not. Fergie likes him but Inter could demand a lot for him as they are not desperate for the money. We have Rooney and Hernandez so, not sure who would make way for him. It also depends on if we can sell Berbatov for a good price.

    Verdict: De Gea, Varane, Schnider and one or may be two (if we are lucky) of Sanchez, Pastore and Benzime

  2. D United says:

    Not Ashley Young, please! What will he add to the team that we don’t already have?
    We need someone like the young Scholes, I think we missed him ever since he gave up his penetrating runs and settled for a deeper role. I think we need a player in the middle who everyone can look up to and the 10 others in the team can confide in in trouble. We need a leader in the middle, and I think Wesley Sneijder fits the bill.
    But I’m no football expert, I’m just a fan 😀

    N.B. – If only Hargreaves was fit, imagine Sneijder and Hargreaves in the middle, what a pair it’d have been!!! I think we missed Hargreaves the most this season, we don’t have one decent defensive midfielder :/

  3. Nickosicko says:

    Modric and Sneijder both will cost over forty million. Spurs wont sell modric to us and sneijder loves inter.They are ungettable so forget them. By the way Young is a excellent free kick taker which gives him an advantage over nani. I doubt nani has ever scored a goal through direct free kick. But Young is not so young anymore. He turns 26 next month. So we should look at a younger player if Fergie wants anyone in the left wing.

  4. sammy says:

    no way not young, for a start utd need top world class players if they are to beat the likes of barca,young is no way that player and i would hate to think that utd would spend 18 million or there abouts on a player who cant even cement a place in the england team.man utd need to buy class and i would love to see at least 5-6 top players arriving before kick off next season,de gea,sneijder,benzema,sanchez,nasri and i would love to bid again to bring ronaldo back, experience is needed at the back cover for vidic and ferdinand players i would sell would be kuszack,brown,oshea,park,carrick,gibson,hargreavesand owen,i would bring the youngsters through the likes of cleverly and macheda who look good,i think if utd were to carry this through then they would beat barca if they were to play them next season and the champions league would be ours.

  5. y.n.w.a. says:

    why would a young want to cum to a club that made english football a lathing stock in the champions lge final lol BARCELONA,he will sign for LFC.

  6. Jumping Jesus says:

    But we made english football a ‘lathing stock’ without killing anyone

  7. lanre says:

    I think we need player like kaka,modric and sneijder in manu,and we don’t need young bcos we have nani and valencia and both player are very good.

  8. kilhar says:

    It’s quite funny, when someone unable to spell you’re (your) teaches others. And I also think that the flanks are fine but the center certainly needs creativity.

  9. Gazza says:

    I think signing Yound would be pointless in a way, Park, Nani & Vlencia are better wingers IMO. WCreativity in the centre is a must, 1 of Sneijder or Modric would be my choices