Robbie Savage has insisted that Man Utd must spend big but wisely on bringing in three players who could turn them into legitimate contenders.
The Red Devils have stuttered after their big win over Chelsea on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, picking up just two points from games against Wolves, Crystal Palace and Southampton.
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In turn, with injuries now also troubling them ahead of their clash with Leicester City on Saturday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad will be tested with question marks over whether or not he has enough quality available to compete.
While the Red Devils did sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James and Harry Maguire this past summer, they allowed Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera to leave.
With that in mind, question marks can be raised over the quality and depth available in attack and midfield, and so Savage believes that they must address that in the next two transfer windows in order to avoid continuing to fall short and further behind their rivals.
“The next three signings will determine whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign at Manchester United is a success,” he wrote in his Mirror column. “In January, or the next two transfer windows if necessary, Solskjaer must go all-out to land players the calibre of Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes.
“Eriksen and Fernandes can pick a pass and open up defences. Those are the qualities United need to make sure they fall the right side of fine margins.
“For all of Marcus Rashford’s maturity, Daniel James’ rich promise, Anthony Martial’s pace and Mason Greenwood’s exciting potential, I wonder if United have enough firepower to last the course. That’s why I would pull out all the stops to bring Sancho back to England from Borussia Dortmund, which would enable Rashford or Martial to release their full potential as a No.9 centre forward.
“Sign one or two creative midfielders and a top-class forward, and I believe Solskjaer will be ready to challenge for the title again next season.”
Such a transfer splurge won’t be cheap for Man Utd though, with The Sun reporting that it will likely take around £63m to prise Fernandes away from Sporting Lisbon.
Further, the Manchester Evening News have previously suggested that the Red Devils will launch a £100m move for Sancho in January.
Eriksen’s current contract at Tottenham expires at the end of the season, and so provided he doesn’t sign a new deal before January, United could open talks over a free transfer next summer.
However, Spurs could look to sell in the New Year to avoid losing him for nothing if he doesn’t sign a new contract, and so if United are to follow Savage’s sound advice, it could cost them in excess of £163m to bring in the targets that he believes would be perfect to transform them into title contenders next year.
