Abhranil Roy
It’s been a month since Jose Mourinho has taken over as a Manchester United, and already three signings have been confirmed. Now there are several departments in the team that had to be addressed, and the press have done their fair bit in linking big money-moves to the club ever since the Portuguese Gaffer confirmed he would sign at least another player.
Of late, two names have gathered the spotlight more than most, these being Barcelona keeper Claudi Bravo, who is apparently being closely monitored by Manchester City, and Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez.
In this article, I will try to make sense of why signing these two at decent rates, instead of going for an overpriced and unwilling Paul Pogba, will make more sense:
Claudio Bravo:
With Sergio Romero apparently set to leave the club after attracting suitors with his performances in the Copa America Centenario, United need a reliable and experienced deputy keeper.
Not many are available in the market, especially of the caliber of Claudio Bravo. The Costa Rican, who is apparently unsettled in Spain due to Luiz Enrique’s rotation policy wants out, and would consider a move to England. Bravo is a pretty decent goal-keeper and is great with the ball at his feet, and if United do land him, the 33 year old will be a great addition to the squad.
James Rodriguez:
The Columbian has no future in Spain, and that is for sure. He couldn’t find a spot under Rafael Benitez, neither can he find one under Zinedine Zidane at the moment.
Real Madrid have the trio of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, while they have the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco in midfield. Under such circumstances, a player of James’s mould simply doesnt’t fit in the team. However, that doesn’t undermine the fact that under certain circumstances, he can shine as well. Jose always prefers a dynamic no. 10 as it is, be it Mesut Ozil or Cesc Fabregas, so it is a role the Columbian could fit in effortlessly.
Moreover, even Madrid will be looking to recoup the 80 million euros they paid for him, and Manchester United can shell out that much for a footballer they potentially could do with.
So in conclusion, signing these two South Americans could solve a lot of problems for us, as well as give us good backup options. A summer window ending with buying up these two would indeed be a perfect one
