New Edit/adding
To make it short. If United find those top level/world class players. In this 3 position. Then United are capable of winning the premier league.
Like earlier: RW + CB + CM (nr.8)
Top and world class level in the past football history.
CM & nr.8 = Paul Scholes
RW = Arjen Robben or David Beckham. Beckham not world class dribbler. But...Beckham was a world class crosser and at freekick. And with a CF like Cavani. Cavani would love a right midfield player like Beckham
CB (Right side) = Jaap Stam
+ Compare to the level of the current football market:
RW = Sancho & Raphinha
CB = Who? Sorry to CBS out there. No one close or near enough of Jaap Stam and Brazil and Inter Lucio. So I decided to not recommend anyone yet. Maybe one = Tanguy Kouassi from Bayern Munich. The young CB who went from PSG to Bayern for free. But unlucky with injury this season.
CM. Anyone world class nr.8 out there. Special in a 2 men cm partnership?Top level like Scholes, peak Modric or Yaya Toure? Again, sorry to nr.8 out there. And not even close to all round cm and football legend Patrick Viera. So again. No top level out there I will drop to recommend.
But here is a example of a line up with 3 ex world class players in United current team. In United most used formation. The 4231 formation. Before the signings :
De Gea + Bissaka - Stam - Maguire - Shaw + Beckham/Robben - Scholes (8) - McTom (6) - Rashford + Bruno (10) - Greenwood/Cavani
And without the legends and with realistic new signings.
De Gea + Bissaka + Who? = still looking after - Maguire - Shaw
Midfield & Attack : Raphinha - Bruno - McTom - Sancho + Greenwood - Rashford/Cavani
No top level of a nr.8 out there. I lower my expectations and drop Bruno down as nr.8. Still the offensive and creative one in the team. Then I go for 2 really good CF upfront. Change 4411 to 442. Because there are higher level of CF out there then the world class creative and offensive nr.8 out there.
But against team that sitting deep. I will start Pogba if he stay. And switch Bruno back as nr.10. The different between a nr.10 and a nr.8. It’s that nr.10 has a more free role and more attack. But still, both of them are really creative and better in the offensive. Bruno is playing as nr.8 for Portugal. And I am 100 sure and convince Bruno can do a really good job as nr.8 too.
Again. Against parking bus and sitting deep team. Those whom let United control the match:
De Gea + Bissaka- New top CB - Maguire- Shaw +
Raphinha - Pogba - McTom - Sancho + Bruno + Greenwood/Rashford/Cavani.
Against tight and parking bus defend. United need players who are really quick and good in small tight areas. Like Sancho. With Bruno and Sancho in the team. A player like Raphinha will suit and match those players too. On his best level. Raphinha has nothing to be shy if he match Bruno and Sancho football skills level and football vision and understanding.
And about Raphinha. United might include Van De Beek in the deal. One of the big reason is because Beek will never get pick ahead of Bruno as nr.10 or Pogba as nr.8. And with Leeds playing like Ajax and have the same formation 433. With Raphinha go the others way. And Leeds is a really good football team. A RCM role like this :
De Beek - Phillips - Klich. Will suit De Beek. And with new strength to a really good Leeds side. You never know. Top 6 are realistic target for Leeds next season. With 3-4 new really good and right players.
Back to United and conclusion of the new Edit and adding. Sum up.
A new RW and CB is must have. And left winger?Martial?If he hit the best level as left winger in the earlier first season with United. And I prefer Rashford as the left CF in a 2 men upfront.
About nr.8. United can switch between Bruno and Pogba depend of the opposition teams.
So with the current recommendations. United squad will be like this :
GK : Dea Gea/Henderson
RB : Bissaka, Williams
LB : Shaw , Telles
CB : Maguire, Lindelof, Jones, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Mengi
RW/RM : Raphinha, Diallo
Nr.6 : McTom, Fred, Matic
Nr.8 : Bruno, Pogba
LW : Sancho, James
CF : Greenwood (right) , Rashford (Left), Cavani, Martial
There you have. New players in. To this date :
Sancho and Raphinha = Wide players
Nr.8. If Ole don’t drop Bruno down as nr.8 or Pogba reach the top or close to top level as the creative and offensive nr.8. United and Ole still has to looking after a new one. If United don’t go for the internal solution in Bruno and Pogba. Then the solution has to be external. But no realistic external solution out there exist. If you don’t go for Bayern nr.8 Joshua Kimmich.
In short sentence. A new top level RW and CB is must. And the nr.8. United and Ole has to fix it out. Trust and believe in Pogba as nr.8 or Bruno only as nr.10?
Because in the end of last season. United were struggling a lot with Bruno as nr.10 and without Pogba as the creative cm. Not because of fatigue and tight schedule. But United didn’t simply have enough creative players from the cm area. Then United continue to struggled this season too. Home with a covid Pogba against Palace with a lost. Again Sheffield United and West Brom. It’s clearly a big problem Ole and United have to solve.
With the additions of Sancho and Raphinha it will help more to open up tight defend. But to get closer to City and to win premier league. A world class nr.8. In the category of Scholes, Modric, Kimmich and Toure.
United are playing with a 4231 or alternative a 442 formation. The abilities and qualities that required and need is nr.8 category above. A nr.8 that has eyes and really good with trough passes, ball and assist. And with Scholes and Toure level. Capable of 5-10 goals each season = world lass level.
I am sure. If you find and buy those top level and those 3 positions. RW, CB and nr.8. Then United are capable of winning the league in the future. And others little concern are LW with Martial, Rashford. Martial is more of a left winger because of his one on one skill. Rashford is in Vardy type of CF. Both more left CF in a 2 CF upfront. Plus United goalkeeper situation. De Gea is old and Henderson not sure and 100 convince yet.
3 positions must fix, solve and strength. GK and LW might good enough or not good enough. Reasons why ideally is to get both of Sancho and Raphinha. Those are ingredients, factors and reasons. Where I believe United can strength a lot. And where United need to strength to get closer and to win the premier league.
3 - 4 short of top level players from a premier league title.