Manchester United's midseason revival has owed massively to a number of their summer signings stepping up under Michael Carrick. It's not often that we've hailed the Red Devils' recruitment or credited them with helping spearhead any sort of a revival, but the new arrivals to their forward line and the little known goalkeeper they signed last summer have been crucial.
United spent upwards of £200 million, and whilst that outlay is nothing new, it is rare to see so many of their arrivals prove to be such hits. Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo all came in to form a new look forward line. Mbeumo is maybe second only to Bruno Fernandes as United's best player this season. Cunha has come up with massive goals, including a winner in a five-goal thriller at Arsenal. Sesko, after taking time to find his feet, began coming up with match winning strikes that helped push United up the table.
In between the sticks, Senne Lammens, despite being a name almost no one had heard of until he arrived at Old Trafford, has largely been a confident presence. A stark contrast from the days of Andre Onana, the Belgian is doing his thing at a fraction of the price.
Mbeumo and Cunha were bought in with United looking to land proven top flight talent, rather than go for foreign imports. That policy is set to influence the club's thinking yet again this summer, with a return to the Champions League on the cards. The Old Trafford hierarchy have set out a clear plan for their recruitment.
Midfield the Priority
United were right when they targeted their strike force as an issue just under 12 months ago. They've also been proven right with the players they went after. So the next area of attention is the centre of midfield, which needed bolstering even before Casemiro announced he was moving on.
The Brazilian has rediscovered his form in recent months, but the criticism was he didn't have the pace to get around the pitch. Kobbie Mainoo's return has given United more quality and depth, but they are still poised to spend huge sums in that area.
Names well known to Premier League observers have been bandied about. Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest has continued to improve at a rapid rate and a stellar World Cup could see him command a price tag of £100 million. Manchester City too are keen. Crystal Palace ace Adam Wharton is another man United are considering, as is Brighton's Carlos Baleba, whom they eyed up last summer. Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni is an overseas signing they would be keen on if he became available.
Bolstering the Backline
United have five centre-halves that they're using at present: Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven. The club believe that Yoro and Heaven can become a leading duo in years to come, but patience is needed. De Ligt and Martinez have had their injury issues.
The team will have to play considerably more games next season and adding a left-footed central defender would be ideal. That has led to their interest in Tottenham's Micky van de Ven, who despite the club's dire season has plenty of suitors eyeing him up. Negotiating with the north Londoners is always a challenge, and he's contracted long-term, but United would see him as an ideal buy. Ultimately, a lot of the club's business may be determined by how much cash they recoup from player sales. The likes of Marcus Rashford and Manuel Ugarte are set to move on and will aid their summer spending.
A Bonus Buy in Midfield
Depending on exactly how much money comes back through the door may influence whether United can add a second central midfielder, which would bring even more depth. Those in Manchester know that landing two players in that area for around the £70 million mark may prove challenging.
Matheus Fernandes at West Ham United, Alex Scott at Bournemouth and Joao Gomes at Wolves have all been watched, reports the Athletic. The club also hope that a midfielder can be promoted from the academy - the likes of Tyler Fletcher and Jim Thwaites have been around the first team recently, but any youth product who steps up will likely only be used sporadically.
If United are to add a second midfielder of first-team quality then it may depend on a club being forced into a sale. The aforementioned Gomes at Wolves is part of a relegated team, which could weaken their hand in the market. The same might be said for Fernandes if the Hammers go down.
A Fourth Buy
Another signing is on United's radar, but there are a number of positions that could need attention. A striker with more experience, which is something they lack, might be pursued. Rasmus Hojlund could leave permanently whilst Joshua Zirkzee's future is unclear. The club also need a left-back. Tyrell Malacia is departing and injury-prone Luke Shaw will need to be rested more given the addition of midweek games, leaving the team light in that area.
