What two positions should we prioritise in the upcoming window?

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Most people are of the opinion we won't get more than two players this window. I've also seen alot of different opinions on the two major positions that we need to focus on filling going into next season. RW is the most common one obviously but a few now think this isn't necessary with the emergence of Greenwood and we should focus on other positions. So which two positions should we prioritise going into next season. And what players would be your pick?

 

[P-Nut]

RW and CB.

We still need options up top as when we rotate our quality drops off a cliff.

Whilst I think we need a DM urgently, if it's a choice between the 2 then I'd feel better with McTominay or Fred filling in for Matic than I would any of our CBs filling in for Lindelof.

 

[Gerald G]

I honestly change my mind every game, but a RW is needed in my eyes. Sometimes I think we need a DM more, then a creative midfielder then a CB.

I'd go with a RW and CM

 

[MikeUpNorth]

RW - Sancho
Defender - Alaba

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I'm sure those people who think RW isn't necessary anymore are just joking. No way they are being serious. Few very good performance recently from Greenwood doesn't change fact that we still need it. Sancho isn't only a RW but also LW and also a creative player. He provides cover for both flanks area and also the role of creative player. Our only creative players are Bruno & Pogba.

Greenwood, Martial, Rashford, Sancho & James. What an option we got here and not to mention Ighalo will be with us until January.

 

[Devil may care]

Right Wing and Holding Midfield remain the priorities to me, I get CB is now looking questionable as well, but we have zero /competition/cover for Matic in that very specific role within this teams dynamic.

 

[SiRed]

Like everyone else, I think we need to get Sancho for the Right Wing ASAP.

After that I think we need to add depth to our attacking areas. If Grealish can be brought in for under 50 mil, he offers cover for about 4 positions so would certainly get games.

Against Brighton for example we needed to rest some key players and you just knew that at 3 the scoring was done as the quality coming on was not great. I think that's the difference between us winning 3-0 in that game and City who may have gone on the score 5 or 6.

If there's any money left in the pot I would like us to sign a CB to replace Lindelof but I have no idea who, quite like Nathan Ake to be fair.

 

[TrueRed79]

If we want to challenge the top 2 next season then we need a LB, CB, RW and AM.

 

[RDCR07]

This isn’t a normal summer so we ain’t going to buy 4-5 players. We have to prioritize this summer and that means a RW and a CB.

 

[JanK]

Definitely Sancho as he adds so much to our attack and gives some extra gears. Of course his ability to create something by himself cannot be undervalued.

Well, our squad depth is a bit concerning. Still cannot understand whether Lindelöf and Bailly are enough quality to be in starting XI. Seems to be players who are at best in back 3. If Ole can figure out how to utilize 3-4-3 effectively then maybe these players can be so much better at the back and boosting the confidence of DDG.

Williams seems to be an interesting player who can play on both sides. I'd like to see some smart business and avoiding a 50+ million €/£ investment to defence. Maybe an interesting prospect or some bargain from Bundesliga.

 

[SirAF]

RW, a CB and ideally LB.

 

[Kag]

A winger (Sancho) and a versatile creative midfielder (Grealish). This would give us fantastic strength in depth and ensure that we aren’t forced to field Championship players like Lingard and Pereira in the event of injury.

A centre half would be nice, as would some long term cover and competition for a Matic, but we’re nowhere near as poorly stocked in those positions as we are when without a Bruno or Pogba.

 

[sparx99]

A winger (Sancho) and a versatile creative midfielder (Grealish). This would give us fantastic strength in depth and ensure that we aren’t forced to field Championship players like Lingard and Pereira in the event of injury.

A centre half would be nice, as would some long term cover and competition for a Matic, but we’re nowhere near as poorly stocked in those positions as we are when without a Bruno or Pogba.

Yeah I agree with this. If Tuanzebe can’t stay fit then CB becomes more pressing. Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and another CB would be good cover. I’d still rather have Smalling than Bailly, Jones or Rojo if we can’t afford to buy someone.

Ideally, we could sell Smalling, Jones, Rojo and Bailly and buy someone like Konate or Upamecano.

Sell Lingard, Pereira and Sanchez and buy Grealish.

Buy Sancho using our normal summer budget.

 

[Dazzmondo]

I would say if we can get Sancho we still have to go for him as amazing as Greenwood is. If for some reason we can't get Sancho I would be content with just playing Greenwood there all next season. The big problem is if we get injuries. Our squad depth in general is very poor imo. I also feel like we should get dm even though Matic has actually been excellent since the restart. I'm unsure we can rely on him to maintain this level throughout the season though. McTominay is a solid backup. I'm not a big fan of Fred and I don't think he can replace any of our midfield without weakening it significantly. I think we need improvement at cb. I would like to get a strong dm with great tackling ability so Pogba and Fernandes have more freedom to go forward and do their thing. Ibrahim Sangare and Eduardo Camavinga stand out as 2 players who would be very good in this sort of role.

Lindelof is fine as a 2nd choice cb but I still don't think he's good enough to be our starting cb. I don't trust any of the rest of our backup cbs. I feel like we should get a top cb to play next to Maguire, Upamecano seems like the most obvious one with the least amount of risk. I do feel like we need a left back too but I am less sure of the best option here. Chillwell would be great but he wouldn't be worth the price which would likely be around £80m. Alex Telles would be excellent but similarly I expect he would be very expensive. I don't mind playing with Shaw at lb but he will undoubtedly get injured and that's where the problem is. I don't believe Brandon Williams is good enough to be our lb, certainly not yet anyway. He's decent going forward but he's been horribly exposed defensively in most games he's played for us this season. Owen Wijndal has looked good in the Eridivisie but it's hard to judge how well he would be able to adapt to the increased quality of attackers in the Premier League. Nicolas Tagliafico would be a safer choice because he has shown he can play at a high level in European competition, although he is 27 so he would probably only last 3-4 years at a high level. I have liked what I've seen of Faitout Maouassa at Rennes and he might represent a cheaper option to bring in.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

RW is number one. No question about it. That will be our attack complete.

For number two, I would have said DM but I reckon Ole is going to rotate Matic, Fred & McTominay & maybe if worse comes to worse, give Garner an opportunity in that role next season. Therefore I’d go for a an AM. If Bruno or Pogba or even worst if both of them get injured/suspended then there is a lack of creativity in that team. Plus one or both Lingard & Pereira would them end up being in the squad.

Of course, if there is any more money available after that, then go for a CB but the two above positions for me are the priority.

 

[RashyForPM]

For me, we should make our right wing and defensive midfield the priority areas to strengthen.

Most importantly, we need to buy Sancho. He will slot straight into RW and provide us with the attacking balance we’ve craved for a decade since Valencia got that horrendous injury back in 2010. He is a world class player too, and these guys normally provide a spark to challenge for big things when they join (see Bruno), along with fantastic productivity themselves. As for Greenwood, in an ideal world, he will start every domestic cup game and rotate with Sancho and Martial as one of the best backup attackers in the league. By that logic, he will have ample opportunities and if he can outscore and outperform them, he will probably even displace them.

After that, we need to buy Ndidi or Partey for DM. Either of them will be fine, as they both provide defensive stability and mobility in the form of movement, tackles and interceptions when we are counter-attacked or under the cosh, along with constant progressive passing. Considering that they’re likely to cost similar amounts of money though, I’d be inclined to go for Ndidi as he has proven himself for 4 seasons in the PL. With Matic, he can’t play every game anyway especially with next season starting so soon after this one ends, and he can step in when Ndidi/Partey gets injured without much drop in quality. Fred and McTominay aren’t DMs imo, but rather box-to-box midfielders. I don’t think a CB is a priority as Maguire and Lindelof have led us to 6 goals conceded in 16 games, and one poor defensive performance which didn’t cost us anyway doesn’t change that.

Just to end off, if we do manage to get Sancho and Ndidi this summer, I believe we will finish a minimum 3rd place and possibly even challenge for the league. With the below team, I truly believe that anything is possible next season and over the next 5-7 years.

De Gea
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Ndidi Pogba
Sancho Bruno Rashford
Martial

 

[Sandikan]

Sancho and Grealish would be an excellent exciting combo.
You're talking one of the best young english talents who could go on to be a world beater alongside other young forwards who can do some great things together.

Grealish brings superb depth to the midfield and covers the risk of Bruno or Pogba being out.

But having said that, how anyone can look at our centre back options and not agree we need an urgent upgrade i do not know.

Jones, Rojo and Bailly can't be relied upon. Lindelof is our weakest starting centre back in a decade.
Tuanzebe gets talked up but not sure on him. If we could throw him into the Grealish deal and cut a large amount off that wouldn't be a bad idea to me.

We might be going the Liverpool approach though. Get the attack so strong it gives you a superb chance against anyone.

 

[bosnian_red]

Right wing for sure. Greenwood is great, but is 18 and not natural on the right and more of an inside forward. Put Sancho out there and we have another big creator who can also score, while we also have a versatile attacker that solves our depth issue in attack. One injury to anyone, any rotation to rest players and Greenwood comes in, plenty of games to balance it out like that. Keep Ighalo and sign Sancho and the attack is perfect in terms of starters, depth, goals and assists throughout.

After that, I'd say we need a more pacey center back without it being urgent. If we only sign Sancho, it will have been a very good summer. Then next summer deal with the CDM and CB positions, replacing Matic properly (fine for next season in a rotation) and getting a stable Maguire partner. Lindelof is decent individually but hes just not ideal next to Maguire. Bailly is decent too, just too inconsistent with fitness and performances. Tuanzebe has potential but seems to be permanently injured. Smalling probably will be sold, though I would start him if he was here.

 

[Deery]

We need a striker if Martial gets injured we are fecked..

 

[-Supreme-]

RW is a given.

I feel both AM covering for Bruno and first choice CB are just as important, it hugely depends on if this player becomes available and attainable IMO

 

[roonster09]

Right winger and Defensive mid or CB.

 

[Dazzmondo]

We need a striker if Martial gets injured we are fecked..

Definitely not. We have Greenwood and Ighalo to come in if needed, not to mention we can play Rashford there. Striker is probably the last position we'd need to strengthen

 

[Deery]

Definitely not. We have Greenwood and Ighalo to come in if needed, not to mention we can play Rashford there. Striker is probably the last position we'd need to strengthen

Ighalo is going back in January and Greenwood is still very young.

We might have Champions League football next season too it would be a big ask for a 19 year old even if he is very talented

 

[Dazzmondo]

Ighalo is going back in January and Greenwood is still very young.

We might have Champions League football next season too it would be a big ask for a 19 year old even if he is very talented

I think Greenwood is already good enough to be our backup striker. Even if we don't have Ighalo, if we sign Sancho which looks likely, I don't see any need to get another striker.

 

[sp_107]

Very good CM options available in this window so I would fix front 6 first with an attitude if you score 2 we will score 4

Zakaria, Partey, Saul, vanbeek, Grealish, any of these would do with Sancho

 

[sparx99]

Ighalo is going back in January and Greenwood is still very young.

We might have Champions League football next season too it would be a big ask for a 19 year old even if he is very talented

This is why signing Sancho is so important. Martial gets injured Greenwood goes through middle. Rashford gets injured Sancho goes left and Greenwood right. Sancho gets injured Greenwood starts on the right. Tremendous depth and quality.

Right now if any of the front three are injured we are playing Dan James or Jesse Lingard.

 

[ReddevilTinu]

RW- Jadon Sancho
CB - Dayot Upamecano
CAM - Jack Grealish
CDM - ???

With 5 ( Rashford, Martial, Greenwood, Sancho and Ighalo) attackers we will be cover for absentee.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Ighalo is going back in January and Greenwood is still very young.

We might have Champions League football next season too it would be a big ask for a 19 year old even if he is very talented

The forward position is one of the few positions where we have some quality depth: Martial, Greenwood, Rashford and Ighalo for the next 6 months.

LW: Martial, Rashford, Greenwood and Daniel James(in some matches).

RW: Greenwood, James(in some matches) and Rashford/Martial if critical.

If one of these players where injured, we could still be able to field a capable attacking front trio.

If one of Pogba, Bruno or Matic got injured, our midfield would not be able to perform close to the same level.

 

[roseguy64]

A winger (Sancho) and a versatile creative midfielder (Grealish). This would give us fantastic strength in depth and ensure that we aren’t forced to field Championship players like Lingard and Pereira in the event of injury.

A centre half would be nice, as would some long term cover and competition for a Matic, but we’re nowhere near as poorly stocked in those positions as we are when without a Bruno or Pogba.

Agreed. Those are my top two choices. Maybe VDB or Thiago if Grealish doesn't work out.

Yeah I agree with this. If Tuanzebe can’t stay fit then CB becomes more pressing. Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and another CB would be good cover. I’d still rather have Smalling than Bailly, Jones or Rojo if we can’t afford to buy someone.

Ideally, we could sell Smalling, Jones, Rojo and Bailly and buy someone like Konate or Upamecano.

Sell Lingard, Pereira and Sanchez and buy Grealish.

Buy Sancho using our normal summer budget.

Our CB options depend entirely on whether Smalling stays or goes. If he stays then I'm fine with what we have: Lindelof, Maguire, Smalling, Bailly and Tuanzebe is enough with Jones and Rojo going.

If Smalling goes then the injury histories of Bailly, Tuanzebe and Jones are not encouraging and we'd need to sign someone there. Smalling, Lindelof and Maguire are the only reliable CBs on our books.

 

[FootyGirl88]

RW (Sancho)
DM
AM/CM (Grealish)

 

[TheNewEra]

RW CB, but Sancho and Grealish are already done I think, but I still think the CB is an area that needs investment, Grealish and Sancho are good buys.

 

[beingshe7don]

I've always felt that we should prioritize RW and DM but after our display against Bournemouth, I feel like we've become that Liverpool team before they acquired Van Dijk and Allison. They would score goals galore but would let in goals cheaply as well. Yesterdays goal fest was a treat to watch but we might not be lucky when all our players are all on the same wavelength and finding the back of the net fairly easily. I feel getting a CB should be very important and possibly utilize the CBs we have at the moment in part exchange for a better CB. Maguire for all that money we've spent has been absolute trash since the restart. People may think that I've over-reacting but we need to get Koulibaly or a really dependable CB this summer. Someone whose fast and is able to take notice of impending danger instead of being reactive. Maguire just isn't cutting it for me. He maybe good in the air but isn't good enough to rely on.

If we are priced out for Sancho, I think O Dembele, Ferran Torres are some to consider who would excel in the current team setup. I may get pelted for this but I think Barca have a way to ruin good players. I think O Dembele has what it takes to succeed at OT. Ole could be that manager to get the best out of him. I would almost take this opportunity to get him for 35 to 40m since Barca need the money.

For CB, Koulibaly or Konate should be priority and then an AM who can give Bruno the day off when required. Van De Beek or Grealish would be my choices.

 

[TheNewEra]

I've always felt that we should prioritize RW and DM but after our display against Bournemouth, I feel like we've become that Liverpool team before they acquired Van Dijk and Allison. They would score goals galore but would let in goals cheaply as well. Yesterdays goal fest was a treat to watch but we might not be lucky when all our players are all on the same wavelength and finding the back of the net fairly easily. I feel getting a CB should be very important and possibly utilize the CBs we have at the moment in part exchange for a better CB. Maguire for all that money we've spent has been absolute trash since the restart. People may think that I've over-reacting but we need to get Koulibaly or a really dependable CB this summer. Someone whose fast and is able to take notice of impending danger instead of being reactive. Maguire just isn't cutting it for me. He maybe good in the air but isn't good enough to rely on.

If we are priced out for Sancho, I think O Dembele, Ferran Torres are some to consider who would excel in the current team setup. I may get pelted for this but I think Barca have a way to ruin good players. I think O Dembele has what it takes to succeed at OT. Ole could be that manager to get the best out of him. I would almost take this opportunity to get him for 35 to 40m since Barca need the money.

For CB, Koulibaly or Konate should be priority and then an AM who can give Bruno the day off when required. Van De Beek or Grealish would be my choices.

I would honestly never go with Dembele, his injuries are that numerous he will have lost quite a bit of pace and confidence by now. He's not had a leg break or anything like that of course but 5 hamstring injuries keeping him out 4 months at a time sometimes... that is not a player you want to sign for big money.

Sancho is the priority and a CM.

There'll be a lot of 'outs' this summer too which is worth remembering in terms of transfer fees.

 

[Blake's 7]

I think it very much depends whether we just want to challenge (ie go for top 4) or actually go all out to win the league. The shift change at Liverpool came when they sorted their centre back and keeper (VVD & Alisson), at City they bought their fullbacks - both teams already had fantastic attacking options but it was sorting out their defences which got them over the line. Note City are still brilliant up front but probably haven't retained their title due to defensive weakness at CB since Kompany left.

Sancho + Grealish = top 4 but no title.
Add a top class centre half and DM and I believe we'd truly be in the mix.

 

[Pughnichi]

Our game drops significantly when we replace Rashford, Martial, Pogba and Fernandes with the likes of Mata, Lingard, Pereira and James.

for that reason I think we need a RW...ideally Sancho of course.I’m addition another creative player...if that’s Grealish, great.

A little further down the line, a CDM and CB

 

[Eire Red United]

Sancho and a cb. Fred and McT more than capable of slotting in although would like someone creative to rotate with Bruno and Pogba. We lose Maguire or Lindelof or one of MMM we’re in trouble.

 

[NewGlory]

We need a defensive midfielder. When Matic is in our best 11 line-up, you know we are in trouble. To be fair to him, he's been OK after the break, but we can't win the league where Matic is our best DM. That's nuts. Fred can't play that position, he's a backup for Bruno. Still unsure what McT is. He's clearly not a world-class DM, and obviously not as good of an attacking midfielder as Fred, let alone Bruno. More like an OK-ish all-puprose midfielder if you need one, except when everybody is healthy, and we are playing our system, we don't need such player?

We also need a decent CB, to rotate with Lindelof-Maguire. Not necessarily a star, if Lindelof and Maguire player their best consistently.

And we need to get rid of De Gea. Thankfully, we don't need to buy a goal-keeper since Dean Henderson should do fine.
We also need to get rid of 7-8 squad players and buy better ones, even if less in quantity. More Ighalos, and less Phil Jones, or Lingards.

Sancho would be a bit o f a luxury, but if he has Bruno-like impact, we should get him.

 

[RedTiger]

Right wing and defensive midfield.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

A left footed attacker is still the most important signing we need. It's great that Greenwood has emerged but we need more than just our front 3. It's a long season and as we have seen, our quality drops when our bench gets on the field. 4 players for 3 spots still might not be enough, but one positive is that if Sancho is the guy to come in then we have 4 players who can slot in anywhere in the front 3 to give some rotation and keep those legs fresh.

Second most important signing for me is a DM. Matic is doing fantastic in that role and the only thing he has done wrong is be on the wrong side of 30...

I also think we need a LB. Shaw can't be depended on the play every game and Williams is a RB, not a LB. Sure, he can fill in there, but I would prefer him to be back up for AWB not Shaw..

 

[LuckyScout78]

RW : Sancho

CM/nr.8 and nr.6 in need: Kristoffer Olsson from Krasnodar, Russian league.

Chiesa to cover both RW/LW. Then you move Rashford back as CF. Rashford is a natural CF. A Vardy type of player, but not a good touch and consistent yet as Vardy. But playing Rashford as LW is a bit waste of talent. Better buy a natural winger. With Both of Sancho and Chiesa. It will give United depth to compete for the premier league title against City and Liverpool.

CB : Call Smalling back until you find a new best upcoming CB. Smalling and Maguire will be a solid duo. Smalling is more fast and aggressive than Maguire and Lindelof.

Sancho, Kristoffer Olsson, Federico Chiesa. And if Bellingham cm, choose United. With those 4 new players. I believe United will have good enough quality in depth to compete with City and Liverpool.