Man Utd’s top 10 targets: Who will end up at Old Trafford?

The good news after a rare weekend off for Manchester United, and beleaguered boss David Moyes, is that Ladbrokes still favour the Red Devils for a top-six finish at 1/2 odds, despite the fact they slipped to seventh in the Premier League.

However, the 14/1 about Moyes’ side making the top four this term tells the real story of a season to forget for the north-west giants.

It seems inevitable that the Scot will be given an immense transfer wedge to splurge over the summer, so we’ve had a good look at Moyes’ main targets and the likelihood of them rocking up at Old Trafford come the start of the next campaign.

Toni Kroos

As counterintuitive as the move may seem, Bayern Munich’s majestic midfielder – who opened the scoring with some style against Arsenal recently – looks more and more likely to leave the Allianz Arena this summer, and rumours that he’ll end up on £250,000 a week at Old Trafford won’t go away.

Kroos’ brother Felix, who plays for Werder Bremen, piped up recently in the media, claiming he has talked to Toni about the potential switch to Old Trafford and, despite Champions League football looking off the table for United next year, it seems the 24-year-old would be amenable to a move.

Transfer likelihood – 8/10

Santiago Arias

The Colombian right-back has been on Moyes’ radar since swapping Sporting Lisbon for PSV Eindhoven last summer and is thought to be available for around £8m.

With fans’ favourite Rafael struggling to reproduce his sparkling form from last season, and seemingly unfancied by Moyes, procuring a new player in the Brazilian’s position may well become an immediate priority this summer.

Transfer likelihood – 7/10

Carlos Mane

This Portuguese winger has been unfairly dubbed ‘the new Cristiano Ronaldo’ – seemingly due to his burgeoning career at Sporting Lisbon, as opposed to his diminutive 5ft 7in frame.

However, United have strong links with Sporting, through the purchases of CR7 and Nani in the past, and after dour performances from Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in the recent 2-0 loss at Olympiakos, Moyes will have to go in for at least one wideman in the summer.

Transfer likelihood – 6/10

Matthias Ginter

This Germany Under-21 centre-half is also interesting the likes of Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund after two excellent seasons with Freiburg, who are battling relegation this term but impressed when taking fifth in the Bundesliga last season.

Moyes has watched Ginter in the flesh recently and the Breisgau local boy is thought to favour a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Transfer likelihood – 6/10

Koke

An exodus of star names from the Vicente Calderon is expected during the summer, as Atletico Madrid’s lack of financial clout dictates that they must make a profit on transfer dealings to survive.

Moyes has been in the market for a Spanish midfielder since taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson and although Koke’s cut-price release clause is thought to have become defunct, a Man Utd move for the Madrid man still looks on the cards.

Transfer likelihood – 6/10

Ilkay Gundogan

Billed as a cross between Paul Scholes and Roy Keane, Gundogan’s absence through injury this season has put a huge dent in Dortmund’s Bundesliga chances, after the 23-year-old made 40 appearances in all competitions as BVB marched to the Champions League final last term.

Moyes is known to be a huge fan of the eight-cap Die Mannschaft star, but Gundogan’s persistent back problems, allied with alleged interest from Real Madrid, makes this move hard to call.

Transfer likelihood – 5/10

William Carvalho

The second Sporting player to make this list is also thought to be a target for Los Blancos, so much will depend on whether Gundogan or Carvalho make the trip to the Bernabeu (where they’re pretty well assured of Champions League football next season) during the summer.

This Angolan-born holding-mid has only made 19 appearances for Los Leoes, yet made his full Portugal debut in the 2014 World Cup play-off second-leg win against Sweden and is tipped for a place in Paulo Bento’s squad for Brazil.

Transfer likelihood – 5/10

Robert Muric

United have long been linked with this teenage Dinamo Zagreb forward, but news that Muric has given Eredivisie champions Ajax his word that he will move to Amsterdam in the summer means Moyes may miss out on the free agent.

Ajax technical director Marc Overmars insists that no deal has yet been done, but a Muric move to Man Utd looks a long-shot at this stage.

Transfer likelihood – 3/10

Luke Shaw

The Red Devils are desperate for cover at left-back, with Patrice Evra expected to leave this summer and Alex Buttner struggling to impress during limited first-team opportunities, but signing Saints’ new England call-up Shaw may well be beyond Moyes.

The lifelong Chelsea fan is thought to be a prime target for the west Londoners, while United’s ever-noisier neighbours Manchester City are also readying a move for the 18-year-old.

After being selected in Roy Hodgson’s 30-man squad to face Denmark, Shaw is now 2/1 to make the plane to Brazil.

Transfer likelihood – 2/10

Mats Hummels

How the soon-to-be-deposed champions would love this Dortmund and Germany man mountain at the heart of their defence.

Rumours that the 25-year-old had told club coach Jurgen Klopp that he wishes to sign on at Old Trafford will have cheered United fans no end, before they heard the caveat that any move would be dependent on Champions League football next term.

Transfer likelihood – 0/10

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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