Don’t be fooled by the years of averageness, Manchester United are still one of the biggest clubs in world football. To be precise, they are commercially the third biggest club in the world, only behind Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Red Devils have the finances to match anyone and if needs be, they’ll pull out all the stops to get the player they want.
Once upon a time, the Manchester club had the best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo playing for them, now they only have ‘good’ players who aren’t able to produce world-class performances. To get back to the pinnacle of the sport, United must replace the gaping hole left behind the world’s best player 11 years ago. Ronaldo was the perfect blend of pace, trickery, strength and most importantly, productivity.
Here are 3 players who could be perfect to replace Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
#3 Jadon Sancho
There isn’t a player in the world impressing more than Jadon Sancho. The 19-year-old has surprised everyone with his performances at Borussia Dortmund, exceeding all expectations. This season alone, the youngster has scored 16 goals and provided 16 assists in 29 appearances. At such a tender age, Sancho is already competing with the elites and looks set only to improve.
If Manchester United were to sign the Englishman, they would finally possess a player that has pace, skill and the productivity rate to replicate the ability of Ronaldo. To be quite honest, Cristiano Ronaldo himself wasn’t producing such numbers at Sancho’s age.
#2 Timo Werner
The German youngster is the next big thing in world football. Many have called him a hybrid between Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo due to his versatility. The number one thing United have lacked in recent seasons is a prolific goalscorer, Timo Werner could be their man.
The 23-year-old has netted on 27 occasions this season, making one him of the most clinical strikers in Europe. The German has pace and intelligent movement, two traits that will stand him well in the Premier League.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
As of today, the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is Kylian Mbappe. It was meant to be Neymar, but the Brazilian’s lavish lifestyle and unserious attitude have sent him down the pecking order. Instead, the young Mbappe has proven in every big occasion that he is ready to take up the responsibility of being the best player in the world. The Frenchman’s electric pace, trickery and ability to perform in high-pressure situations make him perfect for a move to Manchester United.
As can be seen by United’s low goal output this season, there is an unhealthy reliance on Marcus Rashford to dig them out of trouble. Antony Martial in return has not pulled his weight, as he’s only scored 10 league goals this season. Mbappe does not shy away from responsibility, the 21-year-old has directly contributed to 36 goals in 31 games. In England, the Frenchman would do this and much more as he enters his peak years.