Manchester United: A Look Ahead

Soccer is an endless sport. There is never a definite "offseason" as the summer period, which is the least active period for the sport, is often used for international competition or friendly matches between clubs. As with most American sports, the offseason is a time where when team changes happen most often. Free agents are signed, contracts are renewed, and youngsters who have breakthrough periods are promoted to first team play.

Manchester United has always been considered one of the biggest clubs, if not the biggest, in the world. Big name players have consistently found their way to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window and have had varying levels of success. With United starting to wrap up a roller coaster of a season in the next couple months the attention of the clubs senior staff and their fans are directed toward potential summer signings. But where do the Red Devils need the most help? What players can provide an instant spark to the team and on the other side of things, who needs to be released from the team in order to move forward?

Defense

The best teams that have graced the pitch at Old Trafford have always had a slew of quality players on the pitch at the same time. One area where United have not been able to strengthen the past few years is in the defense. Legends such as Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have been replaced by the likes of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo. Let's look at some key names in the United squad and what their ultimate fate should be when the next Premier League campaign begins in August.

David de Gea:

De Gea is the best keeper in world football and he needs to be kept this summer. A failed transfer to Real Madrid in 2015 was a lucky break for United and ever since then, the rumors circle the Spainyard every season. DDG has been reluctant to sign a new contract this season but this should be priority number one once the current season wraps. Some news sources say he is looking for a pay raise closer to £400k a week before he signs and he should be rewarded with that raise. Easily United's best and most consistent player since Sir Alex Furgeson left, allowing De Gea to leave would be one of the worst bits of business by United in some time.

Phil Jones:

A player that gives 100% when called on but just seems to lack the quality needed out of a United center back. Jones has played for United since 2011 and has made 160 appearances for the club, much to the dismay of the United faithful. Some would say his best contribution to the team is his comedic faces he is seen making unintentionally during matches. With Jones signing a new contract this spring it may be hard to ship him off to another club but that should be the best course for MUFC.

Antonio Valencia:

A club veteran and faithful servant to the badge, the Ecuadorian has had plenty of stellar moments with United. Starting as a right-winger and then transitioning to fullback Valencia had an impressive campaign in 2016 helping United win 3 trophies, including the Europa League and standing out as one of the best right backs in England. Since then Valencia has been in and out of the matchday squad due to poor performance and injuries. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskaer has said he Valencia will be leaving the club this summer, a sad sight to see for such a dedicated player, but a necessary one as he is well past his best playing days and United cannot continue to allow aging players to hold back their progress.

Ashley Young:

Another player who has had the occasional moment of brilliance and has been a tireless servant to the club, Ashley Young should also be shown the door. Much like Valencia, Young began as a Winger at United and converted to a fullback. Making the most of each chance to play Young has played a key role in some victories for United, but he is another aging player that is declining rapidly. A string of poor performances this season including a disastrous outing against Barcelona in the Champions League shows that the former wingers days are numbered in the eyes of the fans. However, with Young signing a new contract earlier this year the exit may not be as easy to come by come June.

Chris Smalling:

Smalling has had quite an up and down career in Manchester. Smalling was a standout for United in the 2015-16 season, but he has since found it difficult to replicate that form. Smalling is a pretty average defender who is capable of having world-class performances. While he may not be the best defender in United squad and has had some shaky moments while on the pitch he can prove to be reliable in the rotation. Smalling should be kept as a bench player but not a first choice center-half by any means. His services can add depth to the United squad which is a much-needed aspect for the Red Devils.

Eric Bailly:

Rounding out this section is Eric Bailly. Bailly came to United in 2016 and has had some fantastic games in the United shirt. Bailly has been struck with injury as of late and his first team minutes have been limited. Some supporters think it is time for the 25-year-old Ivorian to be shipped out, but many others believe he can be a first choice defender in the coming years. Bailly is a hard-hitting center back that is capable of shutting down an opponent's key player. If given consistent playing time and support from the manager Bailly could add more depth to the United back line and become a club veteran in no time.

So with some current players being sent elsewhere, how do Manchester United bulk up their defense for the coming season? United have two players on loan currently that have had very good seasons and they should be given the chance at first team minutes come next season. These players are Axel Tuanzabee and Timothy Fosu-Mensah. Tuanzabee was loaned out to Aston Villa and played regularly there contributing heavily to the Clarets top-5 year in the Championship. Fosu-Mensah was sent to Fulham and while Fulham were relegated Fosu-Mensah got to experience Premier League football and can now contribute to United. Both players have made first team appearances for the Red Devils with success varying in each match, but with more consistent playing time under their belt, the pair should be shown minutes for the first team next season.

United has also been linked with quality players for potential transfers and United's board has been generous to Ole Gunnar Solskaer giving him £200 million (and maybe more) to sign players for next season. One player heavily linked with United is Aaron Wan-Bissaka of Crystal Palace. AWB has been the first-choice right-back for Crystal Palace and has had fantastic performances this season and many United fans are eager to see the 21-year-old in a United shirt. AWB would provide a great option on the right of defense for United and would likely split time with Diogo Dalot, a young Portuguese player whom United signed last summer. Dalot has played a few games for United at right-back and even on the right wing. The addition of AWB would add more depth to United's team and would allow Dalot to spend time in an attacking role as well as filling in at right-back when needed. United also have been linked with different center backs to be signed. Signing at least one is almost necessary for the club in order to help a struggling back line. The most notable names linked with a summer move are Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli, Raphael Varane of Real Madrid and Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham. Koulibaly has been a world-class defender for Napoli and would be an excellent choice for United. However, Napoli do not seem willing to sell until next summer, but United should extend a bid for the 27-year-old just to see if the interest is there. Varane is fresh off winning the World Cup with France as well as having helped Real Madrid to a three-peat of Champions League titles. Varane has announced that he desires to leave the Spanish giants in search of a new challenge and bringing in an experienced, but young (only 25!) player to Old Trafford would be outstanding for United. Varane would be able to link up with fellow France teammate Paul Pogba and would be competing in one of the toughest leagues in the world if he were to join. Alderweireld seemed like he was going to join United last summer before negotiations fell short. The Belgian defender has been outstanding for club and country and already has experienced the Premier League already with Tottenham Hotspur. While Alderweireld is the oldest of the trio mentioned his transition may be the smoothest of the three because of his previous time in England. Any of these three center backs would be an excellent signing for the club and would pair well with United's Victor Lindelof, who has made outstanding improvements to his game this season and been a top defender in the Premier League this season.

Squad Depth

Squad depth has already been mentioned but it is the other key area of United's team that needs help for United to have a successful run at the Premier League title in 2019-2020. A lack of rotation has led to some players becoming burnt out over a long 38-game domestic title race, as well as the club participating in 3 other trophy competitions simultaneously. One could look to Manchester City as the best example of this depth. City could field a team including Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones (that's 6 of 11 players) and still have the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Leroy Sane, Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte, Vincent Kompany, and Ilkay Gundogan waiting on the bench. The defense has already been discussed in terms of depth, but United also have their midfield and attack that could use some serious reinforcements. Two players, one for attack and one for midfield, that United should look to sign are Ruben Neves and Jadon Sancho. Neves currently heads the midfield for Wolverhampton and has helped the newly-promoted side to eighth in the Premier League and one of the best records against the "big six" clubs. While he primarily plays as a holding mid, Neves is not a strictly defensive-minded midfielder, making great plays both with his team and individually. Being more than a one-dimensional player would allow Neves to feature for United in a variety of roles, as well as being able to cover for any of his midfield partners if they are caught out of position. Jadon Sancho is a brilliant young star currently playing for Bourissa Dortmund in Germany. As a winger primarily being played on the right side, Sancho could fill the massive hole on United's right flank that has been without a consistent first-choice player for quite some time. Sancho has contributed to 29 goals in 38 games for Dortmund this season and at just 19-years-old he could easily feature for United on the right for over a decade. Both of these players will be in heavy demand this summer based off their stellar seasons this past campaign, and this holds especially true for Sancho as many of Europe's elite clubs have been linked to the England international. 

This years season is still far from finished so the primary focus for United should be to finish in the top-4 in the Premier League in order to qualify for next season's Champions League competition and to progress as far as possible in the current Champions League tournament. Showing that the club still competes witht the best of the best both domestically and in Europe will prove themselves to not only the clubs supporters, but also to the potential summer signings the club has been eyeing.