A list of realistic transfer targets that Manchester United could sign.
Ander Herrera – Athletic Bilbao
Not a name that Moyes has been linked to extensively, but there have been murmurs that he has had the player watched this summer and should he decide to plump for the 24-year-old he will be buying one of the best future stars in the game.
Having made a name for himself at Real Zaragoza, he joined Bilbao in 2011 and was a key part of the side that impressed so greatly by knocking Manchester United out of the Europa League en route to the final two seasons ago.
Perhaps slightly underwhelming in terms of star quality, United fans would be pleasantly surprised by what he can do. In his two years with the club he’s perhaps flown under the radar a little with the likes of Fernando Llorente and Javi Martinez taking the limelight, he has developed a great understanding with Iker Muniain in the Basque midfield.
A regular for the Spanish under-21s, he has recently stepped up into the under-23 side and though the full team may be a tall order whilst he’s with Bilbao, there’s no doubt that a move to United will help him break through that wall.
Mesut Ozil – Real Madrid
Like his teammate Angel Di Maria, Ozil’s place in the Madrid squad is similarly under threat thanks to the club’s new arrivals, as well as the impending capture of Tottenham’s Gareth Bale.
Ozil had previously stated that he wanted to stay in the Spanish capital this summer, but United are looking to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding his future after hearing rumours of him storming off down the tunnel following his substitution against Grenada last week.
The former Werder Bremen man is believed to be demanding a deal worth around £200,000 a week, which will need to be brought down to a more reasonable number, but as far as marquee signings go, United probably couldn’t do much better than the German international at this late stage.
He would fit in very well to a midfield already containing Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverly, that would allow him to link the midfield with the attack and add a further goal threat other than those in their frontline.
A fee of over £30 million would be required before Madrid even thought about letting him go, which would smash their record previously set by Dimitar Berbatov back in 2008.
Leighton Baines – Everton
It seems like the obvious choice, seeing as the pair worked so well together at Everton for past six years. Moyes picked him up from Wigan as a young man who could achieve great things in the game and turned him into a creative tour de force who is now set to take over from Ashley Cole as England’s first choice left back, just in time for the World Cup next year.
There’s an old myth in football that to become a great player you need to be at a top side, and while that is true in some cases Baines has proved that the status quo means very little to him as fans of most club’s would gladly see him stroll straight into their side and dispossess whoever is in front of him.
His move to Manchester seems more likely than that of teammate Marouane Fellaini, and rumours have recently suggested that the England man has asked Roberto Martinez for a transfer.
Moyes may have to stump up a considerable amount of cash to get him, but if anyone knows how much he’s worth, and what to say to convince him to join United – it’s Moyes.
Ezequiel Garay – Benfica
This one has been on the cards for a while now, and it’s only a matter of time before it is finally done and dusted.
The two clubs are believed to be close to agreeing a fee, which is rumoured to be in the region of £17million and talks between the player and the club are also thought to be at an advanced stage, with reports in the Portuguese press suggesting that Garay has already begun looking for a property in England. Garay was a mainstay in the heart of Benfica’s defence last season making 41 appearances across all competitions and has been touted as a replacement for Nemanja Vidic, who has seen his career skid to a halt thanks to injury over the past two years, and with Rio Ferdinand likely to hang up his boots next summer the Argentine international is the perfect replacement.
Like a young Ferdinand, the 26-year-old is quick, clever and comfortable with the ball at his feet bringing it out from defense. He is a key man for pressing whenever the side lose the ball and is adept at making the right tackle at the right time.
Eliaquim Mangala – Porto
The 22-year-old has been a target for the English champions since the January transfer window but the club wanted to wait and watch his development over the course of the season before making their move.
However, they may have waited too long as a number of clubs have joined them in their interest. The likes of Chelsea, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund now look set to step up their interest after the French under-21 international has become a key figure in helping Porto in securing their second successive Portuguese league title.
However, Mangala stated earlier this month that he is in no rush to leave Porto after such a successful season, but didn’t rule out a move should an opportunity too good to turn down comes along: “To be honest, moving this season is not ideal for me, I intend to stay in Porto but you never know in football especially with big clubs involved. Paris (Saint Germain) are now spending big,”