The current transfer window will end by January 31st and Manchester United hasn’t signed any player till now. The club is rather focused on selling its own players or letting them leave on loan.
Anthony Martial, Ethan Laird, Teden Mengi have all left on loan and now Jesse Lingard looks increasingly likely to move to Newcastle United in the coming days.
But there have been no major signings by the club even though they have a long list of targets. There are still chances for many top players to make a move however, clubs are reluctant to let their players leave in the middle of the season, even if the opposite club pays the right price.
Still, Ralf Rangnick could boost his team by the addition of a few world-class players and can lure them to play at Old Trafford this season. The club has been consistently linked to Amadou Hiadara and Boubacar Kamara but has failed to make any progress in the deal.
Let’s take a look at these two players who could still sign for Manchester United before the deadline day approaches:
1. Amadou Haidara
He is the first on our list and probably Ralf Rangnick’s favorite transfer target. The manager and the players know each other well since the Mali international was signed by the manager way back in 2018.
Rangnick then left RB Leipzig for a director role at Lokomotiv Moscow but he has Amadou Haidara in his heart. The player has a £33m release clause and that makes him a very cheap alternative to higher-priced players like West Ham’s Declan Rice and Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi.
Haidara has scored three goals in 18 appearances for the German club this season and has been away on international duty for the African Cup of Nations.
Must Read: Amadou Haidara talks about speculations linking him to Man United
Recently, the midfielder himself has expressed his love for Rangnick in his interview with German magazine Sport Bild, as he said:
“Everyone had a favorite team as a child. Mine was United. I was a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, liked Paul Scholes, Patrice Evra, Edwin van der Sar, Anderson. But if you want to speak to me now about rumors: I am in Leipzig and feel well. Ralf has played a very big role in my career.”
“You mustn’t forget: when Leipzig wanted to sign me, I tore my cruciate ligament. But Ralf said that I should come anyway. I am very grateful to him because he really wanted me and put a lot of trust in me as a trainer at Leipzig.”
What makes the player so special:
The urgent need to bolster his midfield has caused Rangnick to look for options. We bet you he can’t get a player any better than Amadou Haidara. Haidara has played a variety of midfield roles for Leipzig, but this season he has been deployed in a two-man central midfield pairing at RB Leipzig.
However, during his time at the club under Julian Nagelsmann, the Malian international played in both a defensive and an offensive midfield role, demonstrating that he is capable of switching roles and playing in a variety of positions in the middle of the park.
A pie-chart below describes his attributes accurately:
With his intensity and work rate off the ball, the 23-year-old has been stated as a box-to-box midfielder, and he excels in that role. His hunger to get the ball, play quick passes, and his off-the-ball work rate will suit Ralf Rangnick’s current formation.
But in order to get him before the transfer window ends, United needs to act quickly as RB Leipzig is well aware of the club’s interest in its players. They will certainly try to increase his value or add new clauses to his contract which runs till 2023.
Chances of Amadou Haidara signing for Manchester United before the deadline day: 7/10
2. Boubacar Kamara
A very unusual name on this list and you would have thought that players like Declan Rice or Frenkie de Jong could make this list, but they haven’t and we have a reason for that.
Ralf Rangnick is well known for signing players for a cheaper price and making them world-class.
Some of his top-class signings are:
Erling Haaland (£7m), Sadio Mane(£3.6m), Timo Werner(£10m), Joshua Kimmich(£450,000), Naby Keita(£1.5m), Dayot Upamecano(£2m), and many others
Look at those prices and how wonderfully he has crafted these players into world-class players under his management. Kamara could join that list very soon if he moves to Manchester United.
Another defensive midfielder who could join our ranks is Marseille’s, Boubacar Kamara. The 22-year-old young midfielder has just six months left on his current contract with the French club and he is free to negotiate with any club at this moment.
Manchester United could get him for just £15m if he decides to push for a move to England. The current competition for his signature is pretty low because other clubs are busy targeting high-profile names.
Kamara has been a phenomenon for Marseille since making his debut in a Coupe de la Ligue match in December 2016. He has already played 23 times this season and has captained the team on several occasions even at such tender age.
His chances of getting capped for France could also increase if he prefers to move to Manchester United this month. Although we can get him for free by the summer transfer window, many clubs will enter the race and this could make things difficult for United.
As reported by the Metro, Real Madrid and Barcelona are also keeping a close eye on him but Manchester United is leading the race. Premier League teams like Newcastle United and West Ham are interested to negotiate if their current transfer plans fail to materialize.
What makes the player so special:
As previously reported by Metro, Ralf Rangnick had said that he will consider playing with a tall midfielder who can play the way he admires.
Right now, Kamara seems to be the perfect man to replace Nemanja Matic. Being six feet tall, he can play both as a defensive midfielder and a center-back.
A pie-chart below describes his attributes accurately:
He is a possession-holding midfielder who can let other players in the midfield move upfield and attack. His presence in the starting XI at Manchester United could help Paul Pogba to get involved in the attack and he need not worry about tracking back every now and then.
Another strategic benefit of having Kamara is his ability to defend high balls, within successful tackles and keep the center-backs well protected.
Chances of Boubacar Kamara signing for Manchester United before the deadline day: 6/10
