There is still enough time until the new season starts, but the opponents for the Premier League trophy next year are already active in this years transfer window. Competition was always the ‘Invisible Hand’ for things to improve, and in football, to act and buy in the transfer window. With the transfer window officially open now, it’s also time to look what and how ‘they’ do, and how strong the squads from our rivals really are.
Manchester United is the team to beat next season. The ‘Red Devils’ finished with 89 points last season, 11 points more than Manchester City, who reached the 2nd place. The biggest change for the new season has already been made. The retirement of Alex Ferguson and the appointment of David Moyes as the new manager at Old Trafford will change things after an incredible 27-year reign of ‘Fergie’. United hasn’t struck in the transfer window yet, but they’re likely to sign 2-3 big name players this year. Manchester United was always consistent in spending and never known for big spending sprees.
New signings
Wilfried Zaha (was on loan): The English winger, born in the Ivory Coast, joined from Crystal Palace for about £15m. The deal was already completed in January, but he was loaned back to Palace until the end of the season. He had great influence on the promotion of Crystal Palace with his strong one-on-one challenges, tricky and fast plays. It’s difficult to tell if Zaha can make an immediate impact on the team with his raw experience, but he’s without a doubt very talented.
Guillermo Varela: I don’t really have an idea who he is. The only thing I know about him is that he is 20-years old, a right-back and he cost Manchester United €2.8m.
Targets
Thiago (FC Barcelona) and Ezequiel Garay (Benfica) are both heavily linked with Manchester United at the moment. Thiago will bring creativity in midfield beside Carrick, or he could even be brought in as the replacement for Rooney, who’s likely to leave United. Garay could be used as a replacement for injury prone Vidic, and replace Ferdinand on a longer-term. Both players together can solve problems without spending too much.
Fabregas, Verratti and Marchisio are further options if Thiago decides to extend his contract at Barcelona. Ronaldo could also return to Old Trafford while he doesn’t seem to be too happy in Madrid. Manchester United is also interested in Cavani and Lewandowski, both alternatives for Rooney? And there’re also few Everton players like Fellaini or Baines who Moyes want to bring with him to Old Trafford.
Who’s likely to leave?
David Moyes and Rooney are going to hold talks about his future, but his desire to leave United after 9 years is no secret. Real Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal are interested. Rooney’s departure will harm Manchester United in many ways, no doubt.
Nani is longer on the unwanted-list at United. His departure this summer seem to be certain after Manchester United refused to increase his wages. Galatasaray and AS Monaco are two of many teams who are interested to sign the Portuguese winger.
Evra is a further player who could leave, if Moyes manage to sign Baines from Everton. Monaco has their eyes on him too.
The Squad
There won’t be big changes for the player between the posts as de Gea established himself as the number one choice with a large improvement compared to his first season at United, and with Lindegaard, they have a decent replacement for the Spaniard.
As mentioned before, Manchester United is in advanced negotiations for Ezequiel Garay of Benfica. Vidic and Ferdinand are likely to start. And with Smalling, Jones (who I believe is very strong in CDM with a man-marking role) and Evans, Moyes has enough players to rotate in the centre-defence.
Rafael and new signing Varela should cover the right half of the defence, with a lot of other opportunities in Jones and Smalling, who can carry out this role too. Evra could make way for Baines, but the young Büttner will fit the second spot for the left defence.
Carrick’s place in the pivot is nearly certain with strengths to control the ball and playing long passes. However, United is still in need of a new creative central midfielder as Cleverly is too inconsistent, Anderson’s future uncertain and Fletcher could only play 3 Premier League games last season because of chronic bowel condition. Thiago, Fabregas and Fellaini could all fill this position, but they would fit the attacking midfield spot better.
Nani and Valencia performed very bad last season while Ashley Young was often injured, so Ferguson also tried with Kagawa (who’s clearly stronger down the middfle) and Welbeck on the wings, the latter tracks back a lot, similar to Valencia. Manchester United is known for using the width of the field, but they also played games with no proper winger, adapting to the modern game of today by attacking through the middle.
Kagawa (please no Kagawa-Hazard discussions, we all know who’s better) is probably the player who will profit most from Rooney’s departure. Rooney was moved back right behind the striker after the arrival of RVP, which forced the Japanese either on the wings or on the bench.
It’s always hard to say that one player won the trophy for the team, but if I have to name the player for United’s league success last year, it has to be Van Persie. He was the difference between Manchester United from the other teams last year in my view. With the Mexican pea Hernandez as a substitute and Welbeck as another alternative, United is quite well covered up front.
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The quality of the players and the potential in the squad from United are worse compared to those from Manchester City or ours in my opinion, but nevertheless, Ferguson somehow always manage to win titles after titles and compete for the Premier League with resilience and high consistency every year. Apart from the skills of Ferguson to buy referees, doing comebacks and to win in Fergie time; the fitness, change of manager, philosophy and attention in the media surely have played a massive role for our downfall in the league.
Manchester United will, as every year, compete for the Premier League trophy, but I’m very excited how Moyes will do in his first year at Old Trafford. I really don’t think that United will have a chance to win the league, but how often was I wrong with this estimation.
How will Manchester United finish next season under David Moyes? Leave me your thoughts in the comments! Jonny (@jonny9fan)
All de first three teams in de epl last season have changed their managers. So it will be tough for all de teams
It will be tough for the Top3 after changing managers, but it probably will hurt United the most with the absence of SAF after 27 years. It’s a very big change at Manchester, but Chelsea players are aleady kind used to it, and with Mou, somebody who’s know well here at the Bridge returns
city really have no clue what they are doing in the transfers
and united still have the team they had last year only difference is the manager
everyone knows manager change is dificult especially after 27 years\
and im sure this one season will be ours for the taking
but i expect united to be back in business after this one season