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“In the midst of every crisis lie great opportunities.”
Albert Einstein was most likely not thinking about a football club’s ability to make a bargain in the transfer market when he made this prophetic statement.
But it’s a maxim that applies perfectly to the Premier League, where the selling is on teams eyeing relegation to the Championship at the end of the season, while the surviving members of England’s top division can raid their fallen competitors.
It is almost certain that three of the following teams – Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United – will be relegated in May. Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur are only a few points ahead of this battle, but the respective quality of their sides means the London duo won’t be dragged into it.
Leaving this tale of woe at the bottom aside, Manchester United are chasing a top-four finish at the other end of the table – with a return to Champions League football next season the holy grail for ‘Caretaker Carrick’ and his band of merry men.
However, a return to Europe’s elite competition does not mean the Red Devils have to look beyond the inevitable sellout to the relegated teams; Rather, this is exactly where United should be shopping, given the number of positions that need to be strengthened this summer, and the surprising number of quality players on offer.
The People’s Person have identified the four parts of United’s squad with the most pressing needs – two central midfielders, a left winger and a forward – and then selected the best candidates from sides facing a terrible decline in the Championship.
Let’s dive in.
Central midfield
The obvious standout for this position is Elliot Anderson, Nottingham Forest’s midfield maestro. However, regardless of Forest’s survival, United will be targeting the 23-year-old England international, so we have identified two alternatives should the situation arise. a red-hot transfer race because Anderson turns out to be unsuccessful.
João Gomes – Wolves’ best player in an otherwise dismal season at Molineux, the Brazilian was an option for United this month but INEOS decided not to move. However, the Black Country side are destined for relegation and their £44 million price tag will be reduced once this fate is sealed. United should strike for the 24-year-old dynamo at this point before one of their rivals gets there first.
Matthew Fernandes – The 21-year-old midfielder faced relegation at Southampton last season before West Ham made their own raid for the Portuguese. Now it’s United’s turn, with Fernandes shining in the Hammers side, building on his strong campaign at St Mary’s and attracting interest from INEOS. He previously played for Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP and offers the relentless energy and work-rate that the former United head coach demands.
Left wing
Amorim’s departure, along with his wingerless 3-4-2-1 system, has led to the need for reinforcements on the wing. United have two excellent options on the right: Amad and Bryan Mbeumo. But they lack depth on the left, despite the transformation of Denmark international Patrick Dorgu into a reincarnation of Gareth Bale – so we return to Molineux for the best option.
Matoe van Manne – Besides Gomes, the ‘fearless’ 18-year-old winger is the only other source of optimism for the beleaguered Wolves fans. Mane offers a refreshing return to direct wingers who immediately engage their counterparts, while retaining surprising maturity in his decision-making for such a young player. His performances have sparked interest across the league, meaning United will have to act quickly to secure a deal for the Portuguese.
Attacker
Benjamin Sesko has had a quieter start to life at Old Trafford than his £74million price tag might have demanded, but the Slovenian international has shown enough glimpses to provide optimism for next season. However, his partner in crime at the top – Joshua Zirkzee – is guilty of giving no reason to keep him at the club this summer. United should focus on a new centre-forward this summer to ease the pressure on Sesko and provide the team with a new source of goals.
The relegation candidates’ best options are Wolves frontman Jørgen Strand Larsen and Leeds United’s resurgent number 9, Dominic Calvert-Lewis. However, the former will still prove to be an expensive purchase even after Wolves’ demise, and could ultimately be sold before the January window closes on Monday. The latter is in red-hot form but has a terrible injury record and cannot be relied on to stay fit.
This leads The People’s Person to be a bit cheeky and break the rules of the game, although the guiding principle is a ‘bargain attack’ so that this target is still eligible for selection even if his team is not relegated.
Danny Welbeck – The Brighton & Hove Albion striker is well known to United fans, and while a 35-year-old is an odd target for a big club, the former Red Devil is an experienced player with an excellent attitude who is maturing like a fine wine on the south coast of England. His contract expires next summer, meaning a free transfer, without risk, will bring in a player who knows Old Trafford, who can handle the weight of the red shirt and is happy to play a supporting role for a younger first choice. In short, Welbeck is a must-buy, without the burden of even having to buy it.
Conclusion
United’s budget is expected to be significant this summer, but the number of reinforcements required means compromises will have to be made.
It would not be advisable for INEOS to rely on all four of these bargain basement options as prime recruits. However, it makes sense to pick two – Wolves’ Gomes and Mane, for example – if their signings free up enough money to launch big-money raids for two of the club’s first-choice targets.
The strength of the Premier League means that even the worst sides now have excellent players in their ranks. There is no shame in recognizing this as such; just as there is no shame in exploiting the relegation crisis for Einstein’s prediction of “great opportunities”.
PS Sorry Burnley – you just don’t have any players worth saving. No violation.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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