da jogodeouro： Aside from the purchase of promising youngster Guillermo Valera, we are yet to see what approach David Moyes will take in the transfer market. The new Manchester United boss will be given an unprecedented transfer kitty for summer recruits, that not only vastly outweighs any amount made available to him during his eleven years at Everton, but also the funds handed to his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.
da aposte e ganhe： The Telegraph has quoted a healthy figure of £60million, however the Scot’s summer activities could well exceed that margin, considering the potential departures of a number of key players, including Wayne Rooney, Luis Nani and Patrice Evra, who could all add further revenues to the transfer pot.
How will the new Red Devils gaffer spend his summer budget? Will he maintain his knack of making astutely cost-effective purchases, an ability drilled into him by the lack of financial resources at Goodison Park, or will he make a point of enjoying the luxury of virtually unlimited monetary backing by making a number of star signings? What areas of the squad will he seek to improve, and are there any barriers to Moyes’ summer activities?
The first question is undoubtedly whether or not the United boss will make one huge signing during his inaugural transfer window. He will need to find a replacement for Wayne Rooney, who has made two transfer requests in the space of three years, and Red Devils fans will be hoping the Scot will feel the urge to spend big to successfully kick-start a new era at Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale as the two main candidates.
Yet both transfers require a fee that could potentially exceed the £60million limit mark, and both have just cause for being rather unlikely. While the fans would love to see Ronaldo back in a United jersey, there is undoubtedly a concerning undertone from Moyes’ perspective in turning to the club’s past. It hardly signifies confidence in his own or his players’ abilities ahead of a Premier League campaign where nothing is assured, and it furthermore toes the line of the old adage ‘no player is bigger than the club’.
Furthermore, on the Portuguese’s part, despite turning down a contract extension via his twitter account, he still has unfinished business in Spain. He is yet to claim a Ballon d’Or since arriving in La Liga, and he is yet to drive Real Madrid to a Champions League final. Leaving now would end the great debate regarding who is the world’s greatest – himself, or arch rival Lionel Messi.
Similarly, the potential for a deal to bring Gareth Bale to Old Trafford seems limited. The Welsh Wonder is incredibly befitting of the United mould, characterising a mix between Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, but judging from Daniel Levy’s previous behaviour, it seems an internal Premier League switch is unlikely unless there is added compensation, which ended Luka Modric’s hopes of a move to Chelsea two years ago.
Most importantly however – it is not Moyes’ style. The Scot has spent big on occasion, having purchased a 21 year old Marouane Fellaini for £16million back in 2008, but overall, his approach has been to buy players that fit a specific niche and fill a void in the first team, rather than making luxury signings.
With that in mind, the United boss’s first piece of big business this summer will undoubtedly be devoted to finding a new central midfielder. In the past, Ferguson missed out on the signings of John Obi Mikel, Wesley Sneijder and Moussa Dembele, whilst this season Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney and Anderson have all served a purpose in the middle of the park without ever making the role as partner to Michael Carrick their own.
The previously mentioned Marouane Fellaini is widely rumoured to be one of Moyes’ priority targets, having come to the end of a sensational season in which he recorded 11 goals and 5 assists for the Toffees. We are likely to see the attacking edge taken off of his game should the Everton talisman follow his former employer to Old Trafford this summer, as he will be utilised in a more defensive role, yet we have witnessed in the past, and indeed at times this season that Fellaini is more than capable of using his strength, height and ability on the ball to a variety of ends, including protecting his back four.
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The Belgium international comes with great versatility, but there are plenty of counter-arguments to signing him. Firstly, his £23million release clause is proving a stumbling block in negotiations. The issue is not whether or not the afro-bearer is worth such a sum – he can claim relative youth at the age of 25, a proven track record in the Premier League and a natural progression to his game since arriving in England which could extrapolate further at a better club – but rather the fact that there are similar, cheaper alternatives on the market this summer.
Lars Bender has been linked with a move to United for some time, and the potential £17million signing would provide greater mobility, a better attitude on and off the pitch and equal versatility in comparison to the Everton man, whilst Celtic’s Victor Wanyama is unproven but has an abundance of potential, and could be available for as little as £10million.
Secondly, Fellaini may well not be the mould of midfielder that the Red Devils need. Much has been made of the Premier League champions’ lack of bite in the middle of the park, yet their most successful midfield partnership in recent years has undoubtedly been Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes – with the latter infamous for his limited defensive utility. A more likeminded candidate available this summer would be PSV’s Kevin Strootman, a deep-lying playmaker who has already captained the Netherlands national team, despite being just 23 years of age, whilst Luka Modric represents an unlikely alternative that could bridge the gap between pragmatism and lavish spending. Real Madrid remain reluctant to sell however following a strong second half of the season from the former Tottenham maestro.
Along with Fellaini, Evertonian Leighton Baines has also been touted as a potential summer signing, following an equally impressive campaign. The talented full-back has recorded five goals and five assists from defence this season, in addition to being the Premier League’s most creative player according to OPTA, providing 116 opportunities to score, 22 of which were clear cut chances (also the division’s highest), and furthermore challenging Ashley Cole’s position in the Three Lions set up.
The defender would certainly bring improvement to United’s backline, and provide an added dimension going forward, but he is by no means a transfer necessity. With Bill Kenwright desperate not to sell his two talismanic elements in the same transfer window, Baines’ potential fee could easily exceed £15million. It is by no means unreasonable, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, Moyes may be convinced to simply keep Patrice Evra on for another year, as the Frenchman himself recorded five goals and four assists this season, and provides a wealth of experience that could prove vital during the Scot’s inaugural campaign.
Should he fail to secure Baines’ services, the back-up option is 17-year-old Luke Shaw. The Southampton defender represents unbelievable potential, having performed consistently well during his first season in the English top flight, but overall the left full-back slot is an area Moyes will be keen not to over-spend simply for the sake of it.
Should David Moyes be in the market for a striker, in a bid to replace the integral influence of Wayne Rooney in the final third, this summer represents the best opportunity to buy one, with Edinson Cavani and Robert Lewandowski both available to the highest bidder. However, the pair have their sights set on joining clubs of their preference, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively, and although United have the lure of the club’s prestige on their side, City present the opportunity to earn a bumper salary, whilst Chelsea now have Jose Mourinho’s presence to attract the world’s elite to Stamford Bridge.
Although Lewandowski will undoubtedly be Moyes’ first choice considering he has now proved himself as one of the world’s best with 10 goals in 11 Champions League appearances, including a four goal haul against Real Madrid, there is scope for suggesting the Red Devils don’t even need a new front man. Rooney’s role this season has been almost exclusively in midfield, and the void in the first team is as likely to be offered to Shinji Kagawa, who grew tremendously as the season went on, as it is a new purchase.
Similarly, although Danny Welbeck has only found the net twice this season, his work-rate and ability to make chances is highly praised at Old Trafford, and Javier Hernandez, an often forgotten man, presents as natural a poacher’s instinct as any other forward in the Premier League, with 50 goals in 117 appearances for the Red Devils, despite being a third choice forward and most often used as a substitute. Having four strikers on the books appears to be a pre-requisite in challenging for the title, yet I believe Moyes is more likely to find a young and promising candidate to add to the mix, rather than challenge Robin Van Persie’s role in the first time.
All in all, despite the hefty summer budget, I believe Moyes’ signings will remain as balanced and calculated as ever. The Manchester United boss will be keen to not overspend, as it could easily spell a lack of confidence, whilst he will also be wary of attempting to fix something that isn’t broken. The next season will be the Premier League’s most unpredictable to date following a change of the managerial guard at the division’s top three clubs, yet it is worth remembering that United are the reigning Champions.
A few improvements are required; the ageing veterans are only getting older, whilst Man City and Chelsea outweigh the Red Devils in terms of quality and star players, on paper at least. But overall the squad has a natural progression in terms of ability and age that does not need drastic altering. Overall, my prediction is simple – there will be one signing that verges on the £30million mark, whilst the rest of the summer kitty will be spent as wisely and accurately as possible. Moyes may be receiving the biggest cheque throughout his managerial career to spend on new players, but old habits die hard.
Will Moyes stick to his penny-pinching ways, or splash the cash in his new role?
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