Barcelona attacker Alexis Sanchez is being linked with a move to Manchester United
According to the Guardian, Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal could make a £20million move for Barcelona attacker Alexis Sanchez this summer.
The pacey forward is currently away on international duty with Chile preparing for the World Cup, but his club future seems uncertain.
New Boss
Both Manchester United and Barcelona will have new bosses in the dugout next season, Van Gaal at United and Luis Enrique at the Catalan giants.
Sanchez spent much of last season in and out of the Barcelona team and is believed to be one of the Barcelona players that could be leaving this summer.
Inconsistent
Sanchez’s problem in Spain has been his inconsistency. With his previous club Udinese in Serie A, he found a good level of consistency, which persuaded Barcelona to take a chance on signing him. In Italy he was regarded as one of the best up-and-coming players in world football.
However, his time at Barcelona has been a bit hit-and-miss so far. A major reason for that is the fact that he does not always start games for the Catalan giants, whereas he was one of the first names on the team sheet at Udinese.
If he was given the opportunity to play week-in week-out I am sure that he would again find the consistency he had in his time in Udine. He would most likely get that at Old Trafford.
Talented
There is no questioning his talent. A player does not spend three years at Barcelona without having talent. He has pace, the ability to beat opponents and is a good finisher when given the chance. No doubt he will prove his talent for his country this summer at the World Cup finals.
In Doubt
A number of United’s attacking players underperformed last season, as the Red Devils limped to a seventh place finish in the Premier League. The wide players were particularly inconsistent, as the likes of Nani, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia flattered to deceive.
All three players could be moved on this summer, as Louis Van Gaal attempts to resurrect United next season. The three wingers are expendable this summer and the possible arrival of Sanchez would put major question marks over their futures.
Nani has been consistent, consistently linked with a move away from Old Trafford with Serie A giants Juventus mooted as his most likely destination this summer. The Portuguese winger has shown so much potential in the past, but has never been able to couple talent with consistency.
Young was troubled by injury for much of last season, but even when he has been fit he has failed to produce good enough performances to keep him at Old Trafford. The England international may be useful to United if only he could get fit and find consistency.
Valencia is probably the most consistency out of the trio. However, he failed to pull up trees at United last season either. His versatility is an asset though, as he can also play at right-back, which he has done for his country Ecuador.
The Guardian is claiming that the possible arrival of Sanchez could put in doubt the futures of central strikers Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez. Both have been linked with a move away in the past and I do not think it is impossible to see the pair moving on this summer.
However, it would not be the presence of Sanchez in the squad that would hinder their chances of first team football next season. It would be the fact that the two current first choice central strikers Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are unlikely to be shifted from their positions.
United signing Sanchez would definitely be a bigger worry for their wide players than their central strikers, although Welbeck has been used on the wing by both England and United at times.
Exciting
The Red Devils are currently odds of 15/2 to sign Alexis Sanchez this summer. Italian champions Juventus are the favourites for his signature. A move to Turin would make sense considering Sanchez’s success in his spell at Udinese.
However, Sanchez is the sort of signing that is likely to get Manchester United fans excited. He is the sort of signing that former boss David Moyes should have be attempting to make last summer, but could not.
Manchester United needs an injection of real quality and excitement into the squad this summer and without doubt Sanchez is a quality player given game time. The current United squad is stale and needs rejuvenating and it looks like that is exactly what Louis van Gaal will do this summer.
This summer is unlikely to be like last summer, when the Red Devils floundered in the transfer market under dithering Davey Moyes. Van Gaal has the pull and the connections to vastly improve his new squad.
Manchester United needed a big name boss this summer that could attract the likes of Alexis Sanchez to the club. They now have that man and I really would not be surprised to see a host of new players arrive this summer at Old Trafford.
Could Alexis Sanchez be heading for Old Trafford this summer?
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