Cash rich Manchester United need to be smart this Summer

With Europa League football looking as the best Manchester United could hope for it is no doubt that the Summer transfer window is a crucial time for United.

Financially United are in a strong position, despite currently lingering down in seventh in the table. Revenues rose 11.6% from a year earlier to £122.9 million in the final three months of 2013.
Commercial sales were up by 18.8% on the same period in 2012, while broadcasting revenues grew by 18.7%. Revenue from sponsorship deals jumped by nearly 40%.

All these figures mean nothing to supporters if results are not good enough on the pitch, ask any Arsenal fan. So is it a case of sticking with the squad who won the title only last year (many forget this) or a complete overhaul?

What is needed is finding a balance of youth and quality. What I believe to be the best approach is to have in most positions one player of quality and one youthful player with potential.

With this hypothesis put in place United need a new left back, a new centre back, a new right back, two new centre midfielders and one new winger.

Potential left backs:

Luke Shaw £20 million
Fabio Coentrao £12 million
Filipe Luis £25 million

Potential right backs:

Seamus Coleman £15 million
Calum Chambers £6 million
Ricardo van Rhijn £8 million

Potential centre backs:

Mats Hummels £35 million
Ezequiel Garay £27 million
Dante £20 million

Potential centre midfielders:

Will Hughes £15 million
Toni Kroos £25 million
Kevin Strootman £30 million
Nico Gaitan £16 million
Samir Khedira £15 million
Cheick Tiote £10 million

Potential wingers:

Jakub Blaszczykowski £18 million
Angel Di Maria £25 million
Adam Lallana £20 million


Whether these players are attainable or not United have shown ability to make previously unimaginable purchases such as Robin Van Persie and Juan Mata. If United want to play catch up with Chelsea and Manchester City then at least two of these players need to purchased if David Moyes wants to mount a serious title challenge next season.

Feel free to disagree and provide other options.