Manchester United's transfer window roared into life this week, but what would come next in an ideal situation?
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag(Image credit: Alamy)
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos cronies at the wheel for the first time since the billionaire bought into the club in January, this summer's transfer window was always going to be a big one for Manchester United.
Last season produced the club's worst league campaign since the 1989/90 season, as the Red Devils slumped to an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League, meaning the new regime clearly have work to do this summer.
After deciding that Erik ten Hag was the right man to lead the club forward and handing the Dutchman a contract extension, the club got to work in the transfer market this week, signing Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee and French defender Leny Yoro for combined fees of around £90million.
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Most Red Devils fans will see this as a promising start, but what would a dream transfer window look like from here on in?
We'll stay grounded somewhat in reality and tackle the elephant in the room - Manchester United will need to bring in some significant transfer fees if they are to fund the rest of their summer window.
Ideally, the reported Casemiro interest from Saudi Arabia would result in a big-money offer for the Brazilian midfielder who looked well off the pace at times last season. There is also a host of players in the final year of their contracts whom the club are said to be willing to sell, including Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen.
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Casemiro in action for Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)
If they can shift three or four of those players, and get Antony off the wage bill via a loan move, the transfer kitty should be well-stocked again.
Attention would then turn to sealing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain's defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte, as the Uruguay international would provide a serious upgrade on Casemiro and give Kobbie Mainoo an effective partner in the middle of the park.
With midfield and attack sorted, the club can then go back to the defence, where two previous targets could be revisited. Should the likes of Maguire and/or Lindelof leave, then the club can make a second run at either Matthijs de Ligt at Bayern Munich or Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, with the collapse of the latest potential Toffees takeover something the Red Devils hierarchy will no doubt be monitoring.
Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton (Image credit: Alamy)
One more? How about a new right-back, as Aaron Wan-Bissaka's mooted departure would leave them short there. Earlier this year the gossip columns reported that a shortlist of Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong, Barcelona defender Jules Kounde and Denzel Dumfries of Inter Milan had been drawn up and either one of those three would make it a dream window.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
