Here are five players that would be realistic targets for the summer transfer window.
James Rodriguez
Since his move to Real Madrid, James Rodriguez hasn’t reached the level he is capable of. The Colombian has failed to truly justify his expensive price tag and could be tempted to jump start his career elsewhere.
Mourinho is said to be interested in acquiring Rodriguez and United could opt to take advantage of Madrid’s willingness to sell for a lower price than he was acquired for.
Manchester United have been desperate for a “galactico” over the past few years and, despite the failed Di Maria experiment, would love the opportunity to have a player of this capability at the club.
Nemanja Matic
Reports have emerged recently that Mourinho would be interested in signing this Chelsea star in hopes of sharpening up United’s midfield.
Matic is arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the premier league. He provides great cover to the back four, passes the ball relatively well, and is a strong tackler who wins many of his battles. With Chelsea also welcoming in new manager Antonio Conte, Matic could be willing to explore opportunities elsewhere. United do already have a decent amount of players in his position but Mourinho could opt to turn to Matic instead of offering chances to Morgan Schneiderlin.
It would be a very interesting transfer if it were to happen, but the idea of Matic following Mourinho to United isn’t completely inconceivable.
Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku is quickly becoming one of the world’s most powerful strikers and he has expressed a desire to join a big club in hopes of progressing his development even further. Rumors have linked him to United for a few months now and it is something that could be a possibility should the club decide to pursue the Belgian’s signature.
Many clubs are said to be interested in Lukaku which doesn’t come as a surprise due to his goal scoring ability and success in the premier league. His former club, Chelsea, have recently been discussed as the leaders in the race for the 23 year old but a decision won’t come for at least a week or two.
With Marcus Rashford progressing so quickly, Lukaku may not be a necessary acquisition for the club but it is definitely an option worth considering.
Arda Turan
Barcelona are already looking to offload Turan after less than a year at the club according to recent reports. He has failed to break into the team after a move last summer that saw him wait until February to officially pull on the Barcelona kit due to a transfer ban.
Limited opportunities due to the presence of Messi, Neymar, and Suarez will have frustrated Turan and may even force him to seek opportunities elsewhere.
The Turkish winger has been linked to the premier league for quite some time and with United struggling offensively in the past, the addition of another creative attacking midfielder would bring many positives.
Jonathan Tah
Tah is one of the brightest young defenders in world football and impressed greatly throughout his first season at Bayer Leverkusen.
Though he did only move clubs last summer, the 20 year old would likely be willing to consider a move the premier league. Leverkusen will place a steep price on the German youngster if clubs do approach them over the summer.
With United’s defense weak in terms of depth, adding a promising young defenser like Tah to their ranks would be a smart idea for both the present and future.