Friday, April 11, 2014

Manchester United minds on £200m summer transfer spree - see who's in and ...



Current squad will be playing for their futures during largely meaningless run-in as Moyes eyes Kroos, Shaw, Carvalho and more

David Moyes must spend up to 200million this summer if he is to keep his promise of getting Manchester United back into the Champions League after one season.

Uniteds meek exit from the Champions League against Bayern Munich means they are facing up to the prospect of not being involved in it for the first time in 19 years.

And Moyes faces a major rebuilding job this summer, with a radical overhaul of his squad planned as the club accept they must spend big in order to be competitive again.

Uniteds self-admittedly shameful defence of their Premier League title and spirited - but ultimately doomed - Champions League campaign, has shown the extent of the rebuilding job that faces Moyes.

Midfielder Darren Fletcher admitted in the aftermath of defeat to Bayern that his team-mates will be playing for their futures in their five remaining Premier League games this season, with the axe set to fall on several of them.

Chief executive Ed Woodward has already admitted this summer could be unprecedented in terms of player departures and arrivals, with defence and midfield the areas that require the most attention if Uniteds slump is to restricted to one season.

With Nemanja Vidic leaving and Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra set to follow him through the exit door, Moyes will need to sign at least three defenders.

Southampton's England left-back Luke Shaw is set to join United, despite interest from Chelsea, while Moyes is keen to buy Seamus Coleman from his previous employers club Everton as there are doubts over Rafaels long-term future.

Getty

From Saint to devil? Luke Shaw is tipped to join Manchester United not Chelsea

Portos 35m-rated centre-back Eliaquim Mangala is on Uniteds radar to cover for the loss of Vidic and Ferdinand, with central defensive trio Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling all safe under Moyes.

With Ryan Giggs ready to retire, Marouane Fellaini an abject failure since his 27m fee from Everton last summer and Tom Cleverley having regressed, midfield is another key area that requires major surgery.

United are increasingly confident they can prise top midfield target Toni Kroos out of Bayern for a fee of around 40m, and Moyes is also keeping tabs on Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho, who has a 37m release clause in his contract.

Getty

Follow the leader: Coleman won't cost Moyes 60,000 like he did in 2009

In attack, much will depend on what happens with Robin van Persie this summer.

Despite publicly stating he is happy at United, suggestions that he may look to move this summer will not go away. Javier Hernandez IS likely to leave after failing to impress Moyes.

It all amounts to a hectic summer for the Reds - one in which their recruitment plans could be hampered by the World Cup, as the club embarks on a five-game pre-season tour of the US straight after the tournament finishes in mid-July.

Getty

Will power: Manchester United have been eyeing William Carvalho for months

While United have little to fight for in their final five Premier League games, with a top-four place almost certainly out of reach, midfielder Darren Fletcher admitted several members of the squad are playing for their futures.

Its time to show the manager that you deserve to be at this club, said the Scotland international. Go and put in performances because the manager will be thinking of next season, no doubt about that.

You have to make sure that youre one of the names that he still wants.

If you get a chance to play, you have to go and impress the manager and show him that you are capable of being here next year.

He will definitely look back on this season and realise it was a disappointment, but I fully expect there to be some signings.

Fletcher admitted it will be hard for United to get used to not playing in the Champions League - a competition they have been part of in every season since the 1995-96 campaign.

It will be a new experience for me not having a season in the Champions League and its disappointing, said the 30-year-old.

Reuters

Mexican waves goodbye? Javier Hernandez's future appears to lie elsewhere

It will take some getting used to do, but hopefully we will qualify for the Europa League and embrace that because there are plenty of young players in there who dont have too much experience of playing in Europe.

If we end up in the Europa League, we can experience that and try and win it. Theres a way to look at both sides, but I think its an opportunity for young players to get experience in Europe.

There are players in that dressing room who are going to be the future of this club and they dont have the same number of Champions League game as some of us.

Playing in the Europa League would help them in the long term to achieve success in the Champions League.

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/manchester-united-minds-200m-summer-3398054



No comments:

Post a Comment