Five wingers United could sign as alternative to Madrid star.
With the news that Real Madrid have no plans to sell Angel Di Maria to Manchester United this summer, Louis van Gaal must look elsewhere to solve his side’s problems on the flanks.
The Red Devils got off to a nightmare start in the Premier League this season with a 2-1 opening day defeat to Swansea City at Old Trafford on Saturday, leaving van Gaal to rue his side’s poor work in the transfer market so far.
Only Ander Herrer and Luke Shaw have been brought in to the club, with signings still needed in defence and midfield before the transfer deadline, though Di Maria now looks like being out of reach.
With that in mind, CaughtOffside looks at five alternatives to the classy Argentine in the wide areas, with targets for Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea included.
5) Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica)
A top performer for Benfica in the Portuguese top flight in recent years, it is no surprise that Nicolas Gaitan has been linked with a host of top clubs in recent years. The Argentine missed out on a place in his country’s World Cup squad this summer, and could therefore be keen to move to a more competitive league. The likes of Liverpool and AS Monaco have been his main suitors this summer, but United would certainly do well to bring him in and improve on the current crop of wide players currently on the books at Old Trafford.
4) Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich)
An immensely talented youngster, Xherdan Shaqiri has not quite had the first-team chances he’s deserved since moving to Bayern Munich from Swiss side FC Basel. The intelligent winger has a superb left foot and caught the eye with his performances for Switzerland at the World Cup this summer. Liverpool have again been strongly linked with the 22-year-old, though it now seems that Bayern plan on keeping him for this season. Still, United should table an offer to make them change their minds, as he would no doubt fit in well at Old Trafford and give them something different in midfield.
3) Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain)
A player possibly heading for the Paris Saint-Germain exit this summer, Ezequiel Lavezzi could make a good signing for United if he does become available. The likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with the Argentine in the past, and there’s no question that he could shine in the Premier League if he regains his best form. Once regarded as a top talent at previous club Napoli, it’s fair to say that the 29-year-old has not quite lived up to expectations in Ligue 1, but his talent is still there and he would surely improve this current United side.
2) Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina)
Another superb winger believed to be on United’s radar this summer, Juan Cuadrado is hopefully still an option for van Gaal as he seeks the ideal right-sided player to fill the wing-back slot in his 3-5-2 formation. The Colombian international was in superb form for Fiorentina in Serie A last term, and followed that up with a strong showing at the World Cup earlier this summer. The 26-year-old is a great dribbler with bags of pace and ability, and could cause havoc for Premier League defenders up and down the country if United get hold of him. However, they will likely face competition from Chelsea and Barcelona for his signature.
1) Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)
One of the best attacking midfield players in the world, Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus has attracted plenty of interest this summer after reports emerged that he may have a buy-out clause of just £20m. This has led to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool chasing him, but United should also be monitoring his situation as they may be hard pushed to find a better bargain to solve their problems out wide. Although Reus can also feature centrally or upfront, he is definitely good enough as a winger as well, and would represent a major addition for the Red Devils at this stage.
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