Now that January has flown by, it’s time to look forward to the summer transfer window – one Manchester United are allegedly already making astronomical plans for.
It will be hard for the Red Devils to outdo their £150million spending spree last summer, but their rumoured record-breaking £120million bid for Gareth Bale, currently in the pipeline, would certainly put them on the right track.
It goes without saying that the former Tottenham Hotspur star is one of the world’s best in his position – but does that alone justify his incredible price-tag?
Being the stingy bunch we are at Football Fancast, we think the Old Trafford side could find better value for money on the current market. And just to prove it, here’s FIVE cheaper alternatives to Gareth Bale United should be considering.
MARCO REUS
//www.youtube.com/embed/rlYrndbblKk
Age:25
Positions: Winger, No.10, Striker
Height: 5 foot 11
Teams: Rot Weiss Ahlen, Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, Germany
Interested clubs: Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, according to The Daily Star
Likely transfer fee: £20million release clause
THE LOWDOWN
The most convincing suggestion on this list by quite some way, despite being widely considered as one of the top attacking talents in world football, boasting incredible 47 goals and 29 assists in his last 99 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, not to mention the German Footballer of the Year for 2012 and the Bundesliga Player of the Year award for the 2013/14 campaign, Marco Reus will be available for just £20million next summer due to a release clause.
Capable of operating on either flank, as a No.10 or as a pacey poacher, there’s a plethora of roles Manchester United could deploy the supremely talented 25 year-old in, being equally adept in the duties of goal-scorer and provider.
Resultantly however, the German international’s list of potential suitors has no end. Every major club in Europe will be baying for his signature when the transfer market reopens, so the Red Devils should expect seismic competition when pursuing Bundesliga star.
ROBERTO FIRMINO
Age: 23
Height: 5 foot 11
Position: Attacking midfielder, Winger, Striker
Teams: Figueriense, Hoffenheim, Brazil
Honours: Bundesliga Breakthrough Player of the Season 2013/14
Interested clubs: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, according to The Express
Likely transfer fee: £20million, per The Express once again
THE LOWDOWN
Another Bundesliga talent Manchester United should be strongly considering as an alternative to Gareth Bale, Roberto Firmino has set the German top flight alight over the last 18 months with 16 goals and 21 assists in his last 53 league appearances, consequentially earning him a spot in the Brazil national team fold.
The 23 year-old is blessed with prolific pace, top-class dribbling ability and potency in front of goal, but blends it with fluid creativity and a fantastic work ethic, averaging 2.2 chances created and 2.9 successful tackles per match this term respectively.
Whether he’s quite up to Manchester United’s standard just yet remains open to debate. But after four campaigns of continuous individual success at Hoffenheim, accompanied by an obvious pattern of development, the South American is certainly upon the peripheries of Europe’s wideman elite.
Firmino could be well worth the punt if the Old Trafford outfit can attain his services for around the £15million-£20million mark.
KOKE
Age: 23
Height: 5 foot 10
Position: central midfield, winger, No.10
Teams: Atletico Madrid, Spain
Honours: Europa League 2011/12, Copa del Rey 2013, La Liga, 2013/14, Champions League runner-up 2014
Interested clubs: Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, according to The Express
Likely transfer fee: £48million release clause
THE LOWDOWN
Not an out-and-out winger but certainly a talent that would improve the quality of United’s squad, Koke has been mooted as Xavi’s successor in the Spanish national team by the Barcelona icon himself and played a major role in Atletico Madrid’s incredible haul of trophies under Diego Simeone.
Over the last three seasons, he’s claimed ten goals and 30 assists in 89 La Liga appearances, also creating an astronomical 184 chances at goal for his team-mates. Combine that creativity with the incredible industry Simeone demands from all his players and the flexibility to adopt any position in the middle of the park, and it’s easy to see why Koke is receiving such widespread acclaim.
The 15-cap Spaniard is starting to outgrow Vincente Calderon and his £48million release clause, although a lofty figure, represents fantastic value for money in the long-term. His passion for the Mattress Makers remains undoubted however, so Koke may be unwilling to move on just yet.
PEDRO
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Age: 27
Position: Winger-forward
Teams: FC Barcelona, Spanish national team
Honours: Four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, two Champions League titles, World Cup 2010, European Championship 2012
Interested clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, according to The Express
Likely transfer fee: £25million, according to The Metro
THE LOWDOWN
Under a transfer embargo until 2016, convincing Barcelona to part with any of their first team personnel between now and then will be a rather tall order.
Yet, one player they might be forced to say goodbye to in the coming summer is winger Pedro, having slumped behind the likes of Neymar and Luis Suarez in the Nou Camp pecking order to make just ten La Liga starts this season.
He boasts an impressive return of 94 goals in 290 appearances for the Catalans, as well as 16 in 47 for Spain, and in addition to the 27 year-old’s famed netting prowess, he offers fantastic stamina and relentless industry – having served as Lionel Messi’s unofficial work-horse for the best part of eight years.
Equally adept on either flank or as an out-and-out striker, he’d hugely increase the depth of United’s options in the final third, and offer a more athletic, penetrative kind of service to their current forward options.
Former team-mate Alexis Sanchez has exploded onto the Premier League stage and Pedro possesses the quality and mentality to do the same. Once again however, the biggest obstacle the Red Devils face is convincing Barca to sell.
RAHEEM STERLING
Age: 20
Height: 5 foot 7
Position: Winger, No.10, Striker
Teams: Liverpool, England
Honours: Liverpool Young Player of the Year 2014, European Golden Boy 2014
Interested clubs: Real Madrid and Chelsea, according to The Express, Manchester City according to Manchester Evening News
Likely transfer fee: £35million, according to Mirror Football
THE LOWDOWN
A Manchester United swoop for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling would likely be remembered as one of the most controversial transfers in Premier League history. The last player to move between the two Northern giants was Phil Chisnall way back in 1967, and their historic rivalry has further intensified since.
Yet, there are some crucial facts to remember here; namely that the Three Lions prodigy was born in Jamaica, raised in London and is originally a product of QPR’s academy, so his loyalty to the Anfield outfit is certainly lesser than the likes of Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher for example.
Furthermore, the attacking-midfielder-cum-centre-forward is continually delaying on extending his current contract past 2017, so if negotiations drag on until the summer, a sizeable offer could convince the Reds to sell.
That may seem like a long shot and would certainly ruffle a lot of feathers on Merseyside. But the England international’s immense quality is undoubted and his importance to Liverpool has already reached talisman status at just 20 years of age.
Anointed as Europe’s Golden Boy and boasting 16 goals and twelve assists from his first 82 Premier League appearances, an audacious swoop for the Anfield star could resolve United’s winger problems for the next decade.