If Manchester United were to sell the seven players we have suggested they sell, the benefits would be immediate. (If you are wondering which seven we are going on about then read here, and here)
Space would be freed up in the squad to allow for three or four additions to fit seamlessly into the club.
Money would be freed up in the form of salaries saved to be able to pay more to better players.
Whilst we accept that money isn’t usually the deciding factor when a top player makes a move, it doesn’t do any harm to offer him more than any of the other suitors!
The seven players we have pinpointed as being the ones to cull, providing they are replaced by quality, would be sacrificed for the greater good of the team and because they are not really very good.
Presently, Manchester United are not as good as five clubs in the Premier League and several around Europe. This means that they need to move up a level. Now, assuming that the five clubs above them also move up a level, (although Arsenal probably won’t), this means that United have to move up two levels to regain their title and to be considered the best in England.
To do this they need at least three new, world class signings.
In the recent past we here at WSA Towers have suggested some players who should be seriously scouted by United. That is assuming that United really do employ any scouts when, in actual fact, the last evidence of this was when Tommy Docherty bought Jim Holton from Shrewsbury in 1972. Those were the days!
If, however, United only buy three players in an attempt to challenge for the Premier League next season then the three, in our humble opinion, should be the following:
1. Alvaro Morata who will bring goals and, if he is the only striker purchased, may link up well with Zlatan when he returns from injury in January, is given a short term contract and is included in the Champion’s League squad. If this transpires then at least Mourinho would have two players who can score goals.
2. Nemanja Matic to do the holding midfield job and allow the likes of Pogba and Herrera to get further forward, which may even result in them scoring more goals, as it was this part of the game in which United were sadly lacking last season.
3. Nelson Semedo because a new full back is required. Semedo would be particularly appropriate as he already has a good relationship with Victor Lindelof from their days together at Benfica.
These three signings alone will not turn United into world beaters overnight but they will bring two very, very important qualities to the team. Firstly, they will score more goals which will automatically result in them winning more games. Secondly, they will be harder to beat and a lot of those silly, late equalisers conceded at Old Trafford last season will be a thing of the past.
So there you have it. In previous articles we have suggested a “magnificent seven” players which United should, we feel, be looking to bring in. We understand that seven new arrivals probably will not happen so we have filtered our list down to the aforementioned three, although the other four would still be welcome at some stage.
Also, in previous articles, we have suggested a very much “less than magnificent seven” that we feel should be shown the door. Try as we might, we cannot filter down this list with the possible exception of Anthony Martial, who would probably be worth persevering with, as he could become a world class talent.
Hopefully José Mourinho is sitting somewhere while either his wife or Rui Faria, who he sees much more frequently, reads this article to him. If that is the case he will probably nod in agreement and get on the phone to dithering Ed immediately.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 