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Much has been made of Manchester United’s downfall since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, but despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer constantly struggling with rumors surrounding his future, the Red Devils are once again on the hunt for a result between the first four.
While a title tilt may seem impossible this season, their recent transfer business has put them in a good position to match anyone they face in their day.
Having been eliminated in the semi-final stage of the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League last season, Solskjaer must be well aware of the amount of silverware that could boost morale this time.
In an attempt to strengthen their resolve and go one step further this season, United have recruited several seasoned European stars as they switch players with their best days at Old Trafford behind them.
Here are Manchester United’s operations from the last two windows.
Man Utd transfers
Amad Diallo (Atalanta, £ 18.5 million)
Having just turned 18 in July, Utd knows that Amad Diallo is not the type of signing destined to make an instant impact.
However, to join his new teammates, Diallo will remain at Atalanta until January 2021, while the two sides put the final touches on the final deal that could eventually reach £ 37 million.
Diallo has already scored his first goal in senior football, scoring on his professional debut against Udinese in October.
The Utd has a rich history with mercurial outspoken men, Diallo hopes to be next in line.
Facundo Pellistri (Peñarol, £ 7.65 million)
Pellistri, the second of Manchester United’s acquisitions at 18, is also a natural winger, already playing for Man Utd’s under-23 squad.
Born in Uruguay, Pellistri only played 30 games in the Uruguayan Primera Division with Peñarol, before swapping Montevideo for Manchester during the summer.
He is potentially in line to make his first-team debut against Diallo, as he has the luxury of having been integrated into the United setup.
Alex Telles (Porto, £ 15 million)
After Luke Shaw’s ongoing struggles to recreate the kind of form that led Utd to sign him in 2014, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opted to strengthen the left-back position with Brazilian international Alex Telles.
The relatively low fee being paid by Telles doesn’t mean the pressure isn’t firm, joining a team that has been crying out for defensive stability.
The start of his career at Man Utd was also interrupted by a positive test for Covid-19 in October, but he has since become a more familiar face.
With a thunderous left foot, Telles even managed to score 26 goals during his four-year stint at Portuguese Porto.
Edinson Cavani (PSG, free signing)
A name that has struck fear into the hearts of defenders around the world for years, Edinson Cavani will be looking to conquer the Premier League after highly successful spells in both Serie A and Ligue 1.
Cavani joined PSG, the French champion, after seven years, in which the Uruguayan scored 200 goals in 301 games, an astonishing hit rate even among the best on the continent.
Although there may be concerns about the forward’s age at 33, his quick start to life at Old Trafford, which has included several crucial goals, has managed to silence skeptics.
Donny van de Beek (Ajax, £ 39 million)
Van de Beek, one of many highly talented midfielders to come off the Ajax production line, introduced himself to English football fans long before his arrival, with a well-scored goal for the Dutch giants against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2019 Champions League semi-finals..
One of the most expensive transfers United have made in recent seasons, the midfielder will seek to justify his high price during his first season in the Premier League. A goal on his debut will have done him no harm as he fights for more minutes on the field.
Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP, £ 55 million):
Hands down one of Utd’s most influential and talented acquisitions of the post-Fergie era, Fernandes has been nothing short of a sensation since his arrival in January.
Although his reputation as a shooting specialist from point of view is guaranteed, Fernandes offers much more. Vital goals and assists both domestically and in Europe mean the Portuguese international has already established himself as a fan favorite within less than a year of his time in Manchester.
He even won the club’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for 2019/20 after just half a season at Old Trafford, and has kept his red-hot form in the 2020/21 campaign.
Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, loan)
One of the strangest Man Utd signings in recent years.
The 30-year-old former Watford forward came on loan on the January 2020 deadline from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua to help ease an injury crisis in the attacking department.
Despite serious questions about his arrival and whether he would strengthen Utd’s options in the future, Ighalo impressed, scoring five goals on his return to English football.
While he extended his stay beyond the end of last season, it is still unclear whether Man Utd will seek to retain him longer, with the arrival of Edinson Cavani further limiting his minutes on the field.
Who do you think has been Manchester United’s best signing in recent years? Let us know in the comments below.
Man Utd departures
Andreas Pereira (loan, Lazio)
Pereira has been on Manchester United’s radar since he was 15 years old. Making his way through the ranks, the Brazilian international made his first team debut in August 2014 at just 18 years old.
45 first-team appearances and just two goals have meant that Pereira has spent much of his time on loan, now meeting Italian side Lazio for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.
Diogo Dalot (loan, Milan)
Signed for £ 19m by José Mourinho when he was just 19 years old, but with 20 appearances in two years, Dalot’s career at United has not gone as well as expected after falling out of favor with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Portuguese full-back aims to revitalize his career on loan at Milan, and recently spoke about how he’s enjoying his time in Serie A.
Tahith Chong (loan, Werder Bremen)
A highly rated youth prospect, Chong’s loan aims to gain more minutes in senior soccer before he rejoins the United team.
With five senior appearances to his name at United, his Bundesliga season could serve him well before he returns next season.
Alexis Sánchez (Free transfer, Inter Milan)
The Chilean will always be remembered among the Old Trafford faithful as one of his club’s costliest mistakes, despite costing nothing in terms of transfer fees.
Joining from rivals Arsenal, as part of a trade deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go the other way, Sánchez’s rumored wages were £ 500,000 a week, though his statistics during his stay show that that figure was hardly justified.
Scoring just three goals in 32 appearances, Sánchez finally joined Inter Milan on a permanent contract this summer, having spent last season on loan with the Italian giants. There he met former Utd leader Romelu Lukaku, winger Ashley Young and defender Matteo Darmian.
Chris Smalling (£ 13.5 million, Rome)
With more than 200 appearances in a decade, Smalling finally ended his career at Old Trafford, joining Roma on a permanent contract after enjoying a successful 2019/20 loan campaign at the Serie A team.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Free transfer, Oldham Athletic)
Despite being on United’s books since 2003, Borthwick-Jackson opted to make their move to Oldham Athletic permanent this year, after spending half of the 2019/20 season on loan at Tranmere Rovers and the second half at Boundary Park.
Sent on loan on five separate occasions, the defender struggled to catch up at United, appearing just 10 times in five years.
Ashley Young (£ 1.5 million, Inter Milan)
After nine years, 192 appearances and 15 Premier League goals, Young finally left Manchester in January 2020 to join the seemingly growing roster of former United stars at Inter Milan, including Alexis Sánchez, Romelu Lukaku and Matteo Darmian. .
After signing a six-month contract with the 18-time Serie A winners, he was offered a one-year contract extension after less than two months in Milan.
Antonio Conte’s team raced close to Juventus last season, finishing one point behind the Old Lady, and is on the hunt for the title again this year.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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