It's looking like the coming summer will be pivotal for Manchester United and signing a new midfielder is one of the club's biggest priorities.
Getting a new manager in through the door obviously has to come first but once a man to take the reigns from Ralf Rangnick is finally in place he will have a big job on his hand in rejuvenating United's weary squad. Five players at the very least - Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Lee Grant - will almost certainly be leaving once their contracts expire and several others could follow them out of the door.
With Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson and even Marcus Rashford all having uncertain futures, a busy transfer window looks in store for the club. One signing that will definitely have to be made is that of a centre-midfielder.
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United have been missing a player who can dominate a game from the middle of the park by protecting the defence, dictating the flow with accurate passing, carrying the ball forward and even sticking it in the net every now and then for years. A man who can do it all. Despite midfield being troubled for some time, United have repeatedly opted to spend lavishly elsewhere and it has proven costly.
Scott McTominay and Fred may be talented players capable of great moments, but as a partnership they have never worked consistently, yet they remain the best options at present. Thankfully, the club has realised the need for that to change and have made a new midfielder their top priority for the summer transfer window.
Below MEN Sport writers select which midfielder they believe United should try to sign - you can have your say on the issue in the comments here :
Samuel Luckhurst
One of Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham would be obvious but if United are not in the Champions League next season both of them are no-gos. David Moyes is doing a lot of posturing but unless West Ham get in the Champions League next season or continue to punch above their weight, they have to cash in on Rice before his contract expires in 2024. Dortmund are not the attractive halfway house they once were but seem certain to be in the Champions League next season. If United are insistent on an England international, then there is merit to returning to their old feeder club Leeds for Kalvin Phillips.
United need to scout more innovatively if they are in one of the competitions starting with 'Europa', or not in Europe at all. Ryan Gravenberch fits the bill as a hungry and young player and he's already playing under Erik ten Hag, but he is 19 and a coach turning to his former club for a midfielder has potential problems (Moyes and Marouane Fellaini in 2013).
Adrien Rabiot would come with some baggage but he is out of contract at Juventus next year, played at a high level with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, a France international, only just turned 27 and has an appealing blend of silk and steel.
Rich Fay
United's biggest issue in regards to recruiting a new midfielder is knowing what formation they will play under their next manager, given that it either means they need a defensive anchor or someone more comfortable sitting at the bottom of a two.
There is a solution, however. Find yourself someone who can do both. It might sound like a fantasy transfer, but N'Golo Kante would be the perfect fit for United this summer and would tick every box possible in regards to a new recruit. He is world-class, Premier League proven and has the right work ethic required to excel in this United side.
The uncertainty surrounding Chelsea's future could leave them vulnerable to losing a few key players at the end of the season and, with midfield competition fierce, Kante might well be persuaded to follow in the same footsteps as Nemanja Matic five years ago.
The arrival of Kante would give United an immediate solution in midfield for the next two or three years, which in turn would allow the promising youngster the perfect platform to play understudy while learning from one of the best players of his generation.
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Tyrone Marshall
When supporters - especially on social media - assess the merits of new signings there is often a clamour for the excitement of the unknown. The midfielder with the glamorous name from Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga, but this summer United don't need to look any further than East London and a bloke called Declan to strengthen their midfield.
West Ham clearly want to play hardball over Declan Rice but their position isn't as strong as David Moyes would have you believe and if Chelsea - long-term admirers of a player they let go for nothing when he was 14 - are hamstrung financially then United must make their move.
Rice has the defensive positioning, the skills to read the game and the stride to cover the ground as a sole holding midfielder in a 4-3-3 but he's also an expert at progressing the ball, through an underrated range of passes or via a dribble. He is brave in possession in deep areas and when he starts off on a run he can often take two or three opponents out of the game, a skill that is absolutely vital for an elite team who might come up against packed defences.
The only thing holding the 23-year-old back from being world-class at the moment is the fact he's performing for a club who aren't amongst the elite in the Premier League. Slot Rice into that United midfield and he could elevate himself to the next level.
He would also be an astute signing on the back of Ralf Rangnick's comments at the weekend about a lack of physicality in this United team. Rice is a 6ft 1in midfielder, is strong in the air and on the ground and would immediately beef up this team.
Daniel Murphy
Declan Rice or Jude Bellingham would likely solve all the problems United have had in midfield for years. But, ironically, their neglect of the position has helped contribute to United's slip down the table this season and it's now hard to see them qualifying for the Champions League in order to be an attractive proposition to either player.
Instead, United may have to aim a bit lower but there is still plenty of quality to be found and probably for a much cheaper price, too. Both Youri Tielemans and Ruben Neves could be excellent options. Both are in their mid-twenties, have contracts that expire in the next two years, are Premier League proven and have sublime ability on the ball, whether it be passing, dribbling or shooting.
Neither may provide the defensive solidity United would want but their capability of controlling the middle of the park, as United have experienced in games against Wolves and Leicester this year, would lessen the need for that.
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