The Premier League Champions have strengthened their claim to retaining the title by signing Riyad Mahrez for £60million. If we thought Manchester City had strength in depth last season, they’re set to blow us all away this coming season.
Last season, Manchester United were the only team that came remotely close to the Champions. If they’re to close that gap this season, they must match City’s ambition in the transfer window.
Here are five players Manchester United could sign to match Manchester City’s acquisition of Riyad Mahrez.
Julian Brandt
It’s not hard to see why Julian Brandt was taken to the World Cup ahead of Leroy Sane. The German is industrious (as all Germans are), skilful, quick, hard-working and direct. He always maintains width and looks to beat his man to deliver a ball into the box.
That’s the kind of player he is, he’s selfless and at Manchester United, that attitude would only aid the goal tallies of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez. The 22-year-old averaged a successful 1.3 take-ons a game while contributing to 12 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances. He may not be as fancy as others on this list, but he’s just as productive.
Christian Pulisic
The 19-year-old is perhaps the biggest reason why football in America has taken off the way it has recently. Despite only being 19 years of age, Pulisic has become the face of football in the USA, as he’s become a star at Borussia Dortmund.
The youngster’s twinkle toes, creative passing, in-game intelligence and vision have made him a standout player in the Bundesliga. For Manchester United, Pulisic is an exciting young player with a massive fanbase behind him. For the business benefits alone, Ed Woodward should get out the chequebook.
Cristian Pavón
It’s a wonder as to how Cristian Pavón is still a Boca Juniors player. It’s reported that Arsenal tried to sign the Argentinean in January, but now a whole host of clubs are scouting his progress. At the World Cup, Pavón came on a few times and looked lively.
The 22-year-old directly contributed to 17 goals in 26 appearances last season. At Manchester United, Pavón would become a global star as he has the talent to match his new potential fame.
Hirving Lozano
As we’ve already seen at the World Cup, Hirving Lozano is one of the most exciting youngsters in world football. Lozano’s dribbling is bewitching, his finishing is usually on point and above all, his energy is uncontrollable. There’s a reason why most of Europe’s top clubs are now chasing the Mexican’s signature.
The 22-year-old has the X-Factor and has been dubbed as the next ‘one’. Lozano’s skillset would aid Manchester United in breaking down low-blocks in the Premier League, something they’ve recently struggled with.
Marco Asensio
There aren’t many young players in the world that are challenging Kylian Mbappé for the throne of Golden Boy, but Marco Asensio is one of the select few. The Spaniard’s performances for Real Madrid over the past two seasons have been nothing short of spectacular. Asensio’s ability to perform on the biggest stages have made him stand out as a world-class prospect.
The best thing about Asensio is that he’s versatile enough to play in any of the three positions behind the striker. He thrives in the final third as he always seeks to play one-twos, but even with that risky style of play, the 22-year-old still maintained a 90.2% pass accuracy last season. Marco Asensio is the perfect signing to eclipse Manchester City’s signing of Riyad Mahrez.
