After a fairly torrid season, the January transfer window has finally given Manchester United fans a reason to smile again. Indeed, it now seems clear that no matter what happens, the Red Devils will remain a club with ambition, drive and a will to success.
The signing of Juan Mata will surely be a step in the right direction. Whilst David Moyes’ arrival at Old Trafford rocked the boat, the January transfer window could well steady the ship.
Of course, there’s a lot of work to be done. Mata’s arrival won’t suddenly make this season’s under-performers burst into life. Yes, Mata is the kind of player who’s good enough to make the players around him look better than they are, but he’s not a miracle worker. That’s why I’d love to see David Moyes show even more ambition this January.
Luckily, if you believe The Mirror, David Moyes is ready to cut loose. They claim that United are ready and willing to offer Wayne Rooney £65m over four years to get him to agree new terms. This will make the England forward the Premier League’s highest paid footballer and will see him take home more than £300k-a-week.
The article also claims that David Moyes will be handed a £200m transfer ‘war chest’, to help make Manchester United a force once again. To put it simply, that is a preposterous sum of money. Would that Liverpool had such financial reserves during their wilderness years.
With stories such as these, you get the feeling that Manchester United’s transitionary period will be rather more short-lived than their great rivals.
The Mirror suggests that United’s next transfer targets are Yohan Cabaye and Luke Shaw. Both would be smart additions to this squad.
The thought of Cabaye playing alongside Mata is mouth-watering. The two players are among the Premier League’s most creative sparks and they should go a long way towards fixing United’s issues in this department. The likes of Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Darren Fletcher pass the ball about too slowly, but this pairing wont have that problem.
Southampton’s talented left back, Luke Shaw, would make for a great replacement for the aging Patrice Evra. He’s one of the best young full-backs in England and could blossom into a world-class footballer over the coming years. He’s been schooled in the same academy that produced Gareth Bale (who was a former left back), so it’s easy to see why David Moyes is interested.
The fact that Manchester United are chasing these two shows the club’s ambition. Whether United have £200m worth of ambition, remains to be seen.
What’s your take? How much spending will it take to get Manchester United back on track?
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