Three players United should ditch, and three they should bring in this summer.
Out: Tom Cleverley
Every time a big side performs poorly, there is one player who manages to sum that up just simply by being in the side, not a scapegoat, but a poster boy. Unfortunately, Cleverley is that man in this United team. Once a promising youngster who lit up the Championship with the likes of Watford and Leicester, and even made a decent account of himself in the Premier League with Wigan. However, he hasn’t been able top replicate any of that form at United, showing that like players such as Phil Bardsley and even Robbie Savage before him that just because you have the pedigree doesn’t mean you can step it up into the first team where it’s really needed.
Out: Marouane Fellaini
It’s not that he had a poor season, it’s not even that he cost so much money…actually, yes it is. When a player, who has proven that he is a top class Premier League performer after so many years at a club on the next rung down, to perform like that for the manager who spent in excess of £20m whilst raiding his former club is just unforgivable. Theoretically, he could still turn it around, but Louis Van Gaal would be wise to cash in on him now instead of risk losing even more money in January or next year.
Out: Ashley Young
Whilst at Aston Villa, Young was genuinely one of the most exciting English talents to come along for years. A confident, flash dribbler who seemed as though he could back up his outrageous confidence in big game situations. However, that has proved to be unfounded as the only time his runs get fans off their seats he when he takes an inevitable tumble in the area and is remonstrated by his own. At the age of 28, his time to become a great seems to have passed now, and United would do well to move him on whilst they can still get a decent sum for his services and replace him with a player that actually is world class.
In: Thomas Vermaelen
The Belgian international may not have enjoyed the best of season’s at the Emirates this term, but make no mistake; he is still a top performer at Premier League level and rarely put a foot wrong when called upon by Arsene Wenger. He is rumoured to be talking with the Red Devils already, and in terms of available players that could replace Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand United really could’t do much better than Vermaelen.
In: Alexis Sanchez
Barcelona’s decision to let the tricky Chilean forward leave, as he has really stepped up his output this season in the absence of Lionel Messi through injury, but for want of a fresh challenge he is to be jettisoned this summer in favour of someone else. United would do well to bring him on board as he would be a vast improvement of what they already have in those areas and would most likely create and score more chances on his own than any of them would combined.
In: Gonzalo Higuain
Despite only linking up with the Serie A side last summer, the Argentine international has told them that he wants out. His announcement will undoubtedly start a scramble for his signature once the World Cup is done and dusted, and United would e foolish not to bring him to Old Trafford. With Wayne Rooney’s form problems, an his proclivity to drop back into the hole, coupled with Robin Van Persie’s injury concerns, Higuain would provide United with a potent goalscoring outlet that would guarantee them at least 20 goals a season.
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