Man Utd: What could tempt Haaland to Old Trafford?
Manchester United are looking forward to the start of another year. 2021 has been one to forget for the Red Devils, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer losing his job and Ralf Rangnick coming in. As it’s Christmas day, it’s now time to dig out our crystal ball and take a look at how the 20-time champions could look 12 months down the line.
Earlier in the year, it seemed as though David De Gea was finished at United.
He’d lost his place to Dean Henderson towards the end of last season and, when played in the Europa League final, endured a nightmare evening at the office.
Yet ever since the start of the current season, De Gea has been back to his blockbuster best.
The 31-year-old has cut out the errors in his game, producing memorable performances against Wolves and Norwich to keep United in the race to secure Champions League football.
And Henderson is likely to leave Old Trafford if he continues to struggle for regular action.
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While Aaron Wan-Bissaka has endured a difficult year, the former Crystal Palace star is a better option than Diogo Dalot when operating at the peak of his powers.
And given the club paid £50million for him, they will want to give the right-back time to turn his dodgy form around.
Likewise, with Luke Shaw.
Though the England international has been replaced by Alex Telles for recent matches, partly due to injury, Shaw still has enough in his locker to regain the form that made him first-choice for club and country last season.
Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire, providing they stay fully fit, are likely to still be the club’s first-choice centre-back duo.
While United have regularly played Scott McTominay and Fred, both could find themselves on the bench in the coming months.
The Red Devils are interested in signing Boubacar Kamara, whose contract with Marseille expires at the end of the season.
And if Paul Pogba leaves at the end of the campaign, which looks likely, United may then try and snare Declan Rice as well.
Rice will be expensive, with West Ham wanting £100million for their prized asset amid his sensational form under David Moyes.
Yet United will feasibly try and bring him in, as well, and deploy both alongside Bruno Fernandes. Rangnick, by the time next December comes along, appears unlikely to still be the club’s manager.