At the third international break, Manchester United are middling about in mid-table. Sitting in seventh place, they are right in contention for the UEFA Europa League slots. They are still nine points off the pace for a top four slot, but it’s a lot better than where they were at the last international break (12th place).
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves to be given adequate time, as the rebuild is going to take awhile, but the results under him so far are nowhere near the standard for Manchester United. The January transfer window will get here before you know it, so let’s take a look at who could be coming and going from Old Trafford in the new year.
For part two of our MUFC transfer rumors collection go to this link
We start with frozen out midfielder Nemanja Matic, who could be on the move come 2020, provided a replacement is procured. He’s been linked with moves to West Ham United, and both major clubs in Milan.
Next we turn to a long time United transfer target, Napoli central defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Italian outlet Il Mattino is claiming that the Serie A club are ready to cash in on Koulibaly, who has been in poor form this season, for a greatly reduced rate of £69m.
United could be interested in the 28-year-old, having missed out on him in the summer.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said just last month: “I loved Koulibaly the man so I refused the £91m offer, but a time will come when I’ll have to sell him.”
Of course, how interested will United truly be now? They did break the transfer fee record for a defender in signing Harry Maguire in the summer.
Finally, in sticking with the concept of United acquiring a player from Leicester City, Old Trafford has been linked recently with the Foxes James Maddison.
According t0 the Express, United EVP Ed Woodward has an ideal opportunity for Maddison, and long time target, Tottenham Hotspur winger Christian Eriksen.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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