Manchester United has turned up the heat in recent weeks with a substantial run of summer transfer additions. There have been indications that they aren’t finished plugging their roster with talent just yet.
Louis van Gaal still needs at least a couple more pieces if United is going to contend for a Premier League title this season and there are a handful of key issues in particular that the team will have to deal with before they are ready. Here is a look at four things United must do in order to solidify itself as a contender this season.
Add An Elite Striker
Radamel Falcao is now with Chelsea and Robin Van Persie was shipped to Fenerbache, leaving United with Wayne Rooney and 19-year-old James Wilson as the only two serious options in the striker department.
Javier Hernandez could also shift up front but if Van Gaal is serious about his club competing for a Premier League title, they really need to add an elite striker. Remember, this is a team that scored 62 goals last season, which isn’t bad, but the top three teams in the EPL scored at least 71 goals. There are still several options on the board for United and at this point it looks like adding another striker option is the team’s most pressing need before the season.
Add To The Back End
United has enough bodies to expect the back line to hold up fairly well this season but they could certainly use at least one more key piece either in the middle or on the left side where they might not want to rely too heavily on Luke Shaw.
United can shift Marco Rojo or Daley Blind but neither can be considered a first choice on the left side, so finding a more suitable option to compliment Shaw makes sense. Rojo, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans are all decent options in the middle but none of those options can be considered elite. This is a team that allowed 37 goals last season, which was fourth-best in the EPL, but remember that still wasn’t good enough. They need to tighten things up to move into the upper echelon.
United has been linked to Mats Hummels and Sergio Ramos in recent weeks and adding even one of those two veterans would represent an upgrade at the back end for United.
Deal With Real Madrid
The rumors about a potential David De Gea swap for Ramos makes sense but Real Madrid has been in no hurry to get a deal done and it’s on United to push the issue now in order to either get something done or move on. De Gea has been excellent for United over the years and they are probably better off keeping him and finding another option to address their back end. However, they seem intent on striking a deal with the La Liga giants. Either way, they need to make a decision on a potential deal with Los Blancos and move forward as soon as possible because limbo doesn’t do anyone any good.
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Figure Out What’s Next For Di Maria
There was so much excitement about Di Maria when he first arrived at Old Trafford that it’s hard to believe the team would part ways with him so soon. However, the bottom line is that he didn’t live up to the hype last season and now the club has to address his status. Di Maria could still potentially become a star at United but it will be on Van Gaal and his staff to make a decision on his future sooner rather than later. They need to determine whether they still believe in him or whether they want to move.
If it’s the latter, a transfer before the season makes sense because his value is still high. They could then potentially use that money to find a replacement or cement his role with the club so he can focus on the season.
