This coming January, many teams will be looking to strengthen their squad. This article i’m looking into future World Beater’s that could lead Manchester United in the years down the road. As we are very well aware Ed Woodward doesn’t want to spend lots of money this January.
Even though we are in the middle of a title race don’t expect many singings although we desperately need them. United should look to invest in for the future and get them into Carrington ASAP. We can add them to our talented bevy of Solskjær Fledgling’s waiting in our Academy currently:
Here is a look at potential future World Beater’s.
Goalkeepers
Goalkeeper’s should always be your first name on the team sheet because you always want to build your team from them. Yes De Gea is 30, and Henderson (23) is the future air to the throne. We also have two very capable GK’s in Joel Pereira(24) on loan at Huddersfield Town with another young phenom in Matěj Kovář (20) on loan at Swindon Town F.C..
But as we all saw with De Gea last year a Goalkeeper’s form can make or break a season for you. De Gea in prime years got us at least 10 extra points, which is huge during a season. One wrong injury once Dave saves retires to Hendo and we could be up a creek without a paddle. I’m only gonna highlight a few GK since this position is pretty well covered in our system. I’ll be using http://www.transfermarkt.us for all pricing.
- Maarten Vandevoordt 18, KRC Genk – (1.65m)– At 6-2 he has decent height for a goalkeeper. Maarten became the youngest GK in UCL history at 17y 9m 14d. KRC Genk approach is to throw their youth into the deep end and either sink or swim. He is following in the steps of Courtois that also guarded the pipes for Genk at a young age when he started games at 16. Maarten has already featured for the Belgium U19 team. His 7m release clause is proof of how highly he is rated across all of Europe.
- Christian Früchtl 20, Bayern Munich-(660Th)- He is 6-4 and is currently on loan at FC Nuremberg. He has played at every level in Germany’s youth team’s. He hasn’t got called up for a senior cap yet, but with Neuer, Trapp, Leno, and Ter Stegen can you really fault the guy. Clearly Bayern knows they have something special in this kid and rate him very highly. Potentially lining him up as the replacement for Neuer by getting him games now and not having him sit on the bench. Last year at Bayern II he played 27 games while keeping 5 clean sheets leading Bayern II to the 3. Liga title.
Defenders
I could probably list 30 and all of them could be CB’s to help our current cement shoed pairing now. Although our LB/RB pairing is solid now, Meat pie Shaw has gained from having Telles come in for competition. We need a RB to push AWB and a solid fast paced CB that will keep AWB from having to pinch in to protect our CB’s. 3 of my favorites are already well known in Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus), Alphonso Davies (Bayern) and Sergino Dest (Barcelona).
- Nuno Mendes 18, Sporting CP LB/LM, (13.2m) – Bruno, can you do us a favor and be our super agent. Within these past 5 months Nuno has doubled in price. He is so versatile that he can play all along the back line and even up the wings. Liverpool along with many other clubs are clamoring for his transfer. That loser club where the Beatles are from had a $23.338m offer rejected and Sporting directors would have accepted around the $49m range. Sporting are trying to get him to sign a new contract with a whopping $77.386m buy-out clause but he has yet to sign. Manchester United were interested this summer, but yet the board couldn’t get it over the finish line. Shocker I know. We have had success with Sporting recently with the mercurial Bruno and who could forget our last true #7 in Ronaldo. Which brings me to yet another sporting player next
- Eduardo Quaresma 18, Sporting CP CB, (7.7m)- Quaresma is part of a sublime and talented crop of youngsters that are currently coming through Sporting right now. Mendes, Quaresma, Fernandes, and Barreiros are all looking like they will be leaving Portugal for bigger clubs across Europe within the coming years. Quaresma is 6-1 and like Nuno has already been on United’s radar. He has all the makings of being our next great CB. Size, speed, will take on a defender and poise on the ball. When’s the last time you could say that about any of our CB’s.
- Ozan Kabak 20, FC Schalke 04 CB, (27.5m)– He is still young at 20 and could come in and start from day 1 having been a regular starter for Schalke in the Bundesliga. Yes he would cost considerably more then others on this list especially since arriving from Stuttgart this past summer for 15m. But he has been turning heads in the Bundesliga all season. A Turkish international he has ben linked with teams across Europe all season. Ozan could provide depth and consistency while forming a partnership with Iceman or Slabhead. If Woodward refused to pay the transfer fee, maybe perhaps a player swap and try and get some of the deadwood off the books.
- Luca Netz 17, Hertha BSC LB, (1.1m)- Luca reminds me of a fellow young and super talented LB who we took a chance on. Shaw’s horrific injury vs PSV derailed a wonderful personal season where Luke was one of our best players. Shaw has yet to replicate that 2015 season but has shown glimpses here and there while not on the injury table. Luca has height (6-2), speed, and is left footed. He has all the tools to become one of the most coveted LB in the game. Hertha will be hesitant to let this young prodigy go and has a 4.1m release clause attached to his contract. Through 15 games with the German U17 team he already has amassed 4 goals.
- Joško Gvardiol 18, RB Leipzig CB (6.6m) – Transferring from Dinamo Zagreb to RB Leipzig this summer for 17.60m. I don’t believe RB will be giving him away anytime soon. Leipzig will keep him for the impending sale of Upamecano and Konaté. Currently on loan at Dinamo he came up through their youth ranks and the Croatian National youth teams. At 6-1 and a left footed CB he could solve our defensive partnership with his pace and strength. The future is bright for Joško and we will see him keeping the stars of the Bundesliga at bay for a very long time come this summer.
- Jeremie Frimpong 20, Celtic RB (3.3m) – Although nowhere near as tall as Luca Netz, Jeremie (5-9) reminds me of the next Dani Alves. Just having turned 20 in early December he has already won a Scottish Premiership title and Scottish League Cup. The Dutch international has represented his country in every level and is familiar with Manchester having been brought up in the City youth system since 9. His offensive talents could help AWB and vice versa with AWB defending. Frimpong can play either fulback postion, along with the LM/RM. He is a young and hungry player with something to prove after leaving CIty for regular first team football. Defiantly one to keep your eye on within the next couple windows.
- Leonidas Stergiou 18, FC St. Galen (2.75m) – This young Swiss/Greek CB has been developing at a blistering pace since coming into the Swiss Super League. While making his debut at 16 in 2019 he amassed 1,421 minutes in 16 matches for St. Galen. So far this year he has appeared in 13 of 14 games continuing his form of stability and consistency. The hungry eyes of some of Europe’s top clubs have been eyeing his progress from Athletico Madrid, Sevilla and Olympiacos. Leonidas shows great awareness and defensive positioning for his age. Furthermore he has a sense of calmness, composure, and speed. He is the blueprint you would want for a starting CB. Leonidas could lead this team to glory for the next decade.
- Marco Kana 17, R.S.C. Anderlecht CB/CDM, ( 4.95m)- This young Belgium has drawn very similar comparisons to his current manager Vincent Kompany. Marco has already had his first senior cap for Belgium and fills two needs for United in a CB/CDM. Kana could greatly benefit from Kompany’s Tutelage and guidance towards a move to the Prem. When a player is this versatile in the many position’s we need, i’m urging Woodward to get him to Carrington ASAP.
- Josha Vagnoman 20, Hamburg LB/RB/LW, (4.4m) – Josha is another Wonderboy in the German league who can play on ever side of the pitch. Having represented Germany through the U21 team, his talent alone is enough to bring him in. A subsequently cheaper version of Nuno Mendes he is in the new bread of attacking fullback’s. Germany’s youth structure which was re vamped by the DFB, after the embarrassment of World Cup 98 and Euro 2000 has paid of in spades. The amount of talent that has come through the German youth system’s is just scary and Josha is no exception. Finally we could have our own version of Roberto Carlos bombing up and down the side of the pitch for years to come.
The Future is Now
There are so many future Golden boys throughout the World and these are only a few bright prospects that are scratching the surface. Planning for our future now with a few of this players could make all the difference 5 years from now. My next article of Future World Beater’s will be all about Midfielder’s. Finally I look forward to see what transfers we do in January if anything. As always GGMU!!
Cheers,
Chris
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