United’s next generation

Tuesday, 08/02/2011

With Manchester United stalwart and double decade, loyal servant Gary Neville announcing his retirement as a player last week, and the consistent and vastly experienced Edwin van der Sar deciding that he will hang up his gloves at the end of the season, we are starting to see the ushering out of an era at Old Trafford with a new dawn just around the corner.

Ryan Giggs looks likely to remain at the club for another season and whilst his future currently seems unclear, Paul Scholes will probably also pen a one season extension for the Red Devils, but both men will need to be replaced soon and Sir Alex Ferguson is surely already considering contenders for all four positions.

It looks as though young Brazilian right-back, Rafael will be given the chance to succeed Neville in defence permanently after an impressive season where he has shown improving positional sense, toughness in the tackle and excellent attacking ability down United’s right side. Questions remain over his temperament after a couple of high profile sendings-off, but with experience and the guidance of Ferguson, United could well have a gem on their hands.

Edwin van der Sar’s goalkeeping position will be harder to fill. Tomasz Kuszczak has had plenty of chances and whilst showing himself an adequate deputy the Pole has not done enough to make his position a certainty. January signing Anders Lindegaard has had little time to stake a claim and could well be Fergie’s number one, but with a summer exit also likely for Kuszczak, Lindegaard could be moved into a permanent back-up position with a new first-choice stopper being brought in.

Plenty of names have been linked with United, but the three main contenders would be German stopper Manuel Neuer who looks set to leave Schalke this summer, Lyon’s France international Hugo Lloris and Atletico Madrid youngster David de Gea.

All three men would command a considerable transfer fee, probably over £20m, and would all represent a relative gamble, but United tried to replace their last great keeper, Peter Schmeichel, with cheaper options, and it took them years before they achieved that with van der Sar.

As for Giggs’ left-wing position, the likes of Luis Nani, Park Ji Sung and Gabriel Obertan can all operate there and with the return of Antonio Valencia at right-wing, Nani could end up on the left more permanently.

Fergie could look to test the waters in the transfer market, with Aston Villa’s Ashley Young an option and Southampton teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain another possibility. Gareth Bale would be the ideal long-term solution but it is unlikely that United would part with the excessive transfer fee it would require to secure his services from Spurs.

United could again turn to their attentions to the foreign market with Udinese’s Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez and Lyon’s Brazil international Michel Bastos both worth a punt.

The Red Devils could probably carry on with what they’ve got in the previous three positions, but replacing midfield maestro and deep-lying playmaker, Paul Scholes, is pretty much impossible.

Anderson is the heir apparent, but the Brazilian is yet to show anywhere near enough consistency to be a first-team regular, let alone Scholes’ replacement. Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher will remain in the squad and young Tom Cleverley, currently on loan at Wigan, will be given more chances next season.

United’s midfield already appears to lack genuine creativity in the central attacking positions. Someone to operate in an advanced central role, behind the strikers, who can thread through the killer balls and arrive late in the box to score, will be a crucial addition to Fergie’s ever-developing team.

German starlet Mesut Ozil would’ve been the perfect solution, but he joined Real Madrid last season. His clubmate, Kaka, has struggled to make an impression in Spain since his big money move from AC Milan and could be moved on, but whether he can recapture his world-class form of a couple of years ago is another question.

The Brazil star could potentially be a fantastic addition and would suit United’s free-flowing attacking style, but the move is unlikely.

Wesley Sneijder has been linked with United but will most likely stay with Inter Milan and The Red Devils will probably avoid spending out on big name world star, something they rarely do. Looking for a younger option with potentially a greater resale value is the way that United have done their business in recent years, and that approach could lead to the Reds moving for the likes of Belgium youngster Steven Defour or Sunderland’s hot prospect, Jordan Henderson.

Whatever happens, a few years of transition lay ahead for the English giants but one thing is for sure, Manchester United will move on. The likes of Roy Keane, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo have left and while they haven’t been replaced, United have altered their formation and tactics to plug the holes they have left.

The old master of the transfer market, Sir Alex Ferguson will face one of his greatest challenges, to reshape a team for the future to ensure that his United legacy remains as glorious as his trophy-laden 25-year career at the club.

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