Can Manchester United afford to splash out £40m to revolutionize their midfield?

Having had their Premier League dominance greedily clawed away from them by Manchester City, Manchester United went out and spent big this summer. They made some smart additions and players like Shinji Kagawa and Robin Van Persie are sure to have a telling input over the course of the season. It’s not clear, however, that Sir Alex spent the right amount of money bolstering the right areas.

For instance, there’s still a general sense of worry about what Manchester United are going to do once the mighty Paul Scholes retires. The Ginger Prince is still United’s most dynamic midfielder, capable of dominating games with his combative play and unrivalled passing range. Sir Alex just doesn’t have a player like him on his books.

Shinji Kagawa, brought in this summer to play in the midfield is hardly a comparative player. Nick Powell looks like a fantastic young player, but he’s not ready to take up Scholes’ mantle just yet. Players like Anderson just haven’t made the cut. There needs to be some kind of long-term solution brought in.

According to German sources (via talkSPORT), Manchester United have been ‘sounding out’ Juventus over a possible move for their talented attacking midfielder Arturo Vidal. That, to me, is fairly exciting news – if it’s true of course.

Ferguson spent a good deal of last summer pursuing the Lucas Moura, so it’s clear he feels United’s midfield could use an extra burst of creativity. Arturo could be just the man, but he’d come at a price. He’s under contract with Juventus until 2016 and is valued at £40m. It’s not entirely clear Manchester United could afford him, or if Fergie would want to dump that much cash on a single player.

What is clear, however, is that he could have a massive impact at Old Trafford. He’s incredibly energetic, confident and effective. He buzzes about the midfield, causing trouble, working the space and getting himself into dangerous positions. As Chelsea fans will attest: he can be a real handful.

Like Paul Scholes, he’s a good all-rounder. He’s not afraid to get stuck in, but he can also move the ball about with ease. There’s a reason he’s valued so highly.

This is another link in the vein of Luka Modric and Wesley Sneijder. His price-tag may prevent a move, but that doesn’t make the potential any less exciting.

What’s your take? Would Vial be a smart addition at Old Trafford?

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