Old Trafford side ready, willing and able to spend big.
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Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is not looking to rest on his laurels following his side’s Premier League title cake-walk and has been given the backing of his board to make significant moves in the summer transfer window.
The Daily Mirror believes that the Scot has targeted Tottenham winger Gareth Bale as well as Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric whilst also looking to fill other potential problem areas in his Old Trafford squad.
This source believes that as well as the aforementioned named targets Man United are in the market for a left-back, a centre-back and a central midfielder, all areas Ferguson may feel he can improve in.
One would imagine the need for a left-back would be with a view to finding a long term successor to Patrice Evra but the need may be more urgent as the French international has been decidedly average, by his own very high standards, for much of the season. Alexander Buttner was brought in to keep the 31 year old on his toes but has rarely been used.
The need for a central defender no doubt alludes to Rio Ferdinand’s age and Nemanja Vidic’s injury concerns and the need for a central midfielder could indicate that Paul Scholes is set to once again hang up his boots and Ferguson may well have run out of patience with Brazilian Anderson.
Though Man United easily clinched the domestic title they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Real Madrid and Ferguson will look improve his squad with the hope of once again reaching the latter stages of the showpiece trophy.
United’s consistency on the pitch this season has been matched by strong financial results off it. The club have just announced a record third-quarter turnover of £91.7million and are expected to generate more than £350m for the year.
It may well take a sizable portion of Man United’s profits to land either Ronaldo or Bale, both players certainly would set back Man United upwards of £60m in transfer fees alone, Modric being a far more affordable prize for Ferguson to pursue.
Ferguson has spoken glowingly about the club’s owners of late;
“Everything is in place for a big signing. I think that the Glazers have been great.
“Whenever I have asked, they have delivered.
“If I ask to go for a certain player, I think they will do that.
“When I spoke about value in the market a while back, I was talking about young, developing players.
“Maybe there has been a wind of change and I could go for a really top player now.
“We have a nucleus of young players here, but we may spend something.
“When it’s a top player, it doesn’t matter what position they play in. I will bring them in if they add to the team.
“Last season we had [Javier] Hernandez, [Danny] Welbeck and [Wayne] Rooney and we still went out and bought Robin van Persie.”
Indeed Ferguson won’t want to stand still and will be looking to make a few additions this summer, knowing full well that both Man City and Chelsea will more than likely look to spend vast sums to help in their push to mount a genuine challenge to a Man United side that comfortably won the title in record quick time.