Manchester United have seen the benefits this season of shopping in the free-agent market.
United swooped into sign Christian Eriksen for nothing in the summer and the Dane has been one of the standout performers in Erik ten Hag’s side. Signing quality for nothing can certainly be done and it’s a tactic the club should consider doing again.
There are plenty of brilliant players currently set to see their contracts expire in the summer of 2023 that could add a lot of class to the squad ahead of the next season. United’s top priority in the summer will be attacking reinforcements, especially a seasoned goal-scorer, but improvements in the centre of midfield and in defence may be considered.
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Here are 10 free agents United could consider for next summer:
Milan Skriniar – Inter
In Wesley Sneijder or Nico Gaitan-esque fashion, it’s not often as summer has gone by that Milan Skriniar has not been linked with a move to Old Trafford. The towering and powerful centre-back has been a mainstay for Inter and helped them win the Serie A title in 2021.
Though United have a quality centre-back partnership in Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez’, the Frenchman’s injury problems and a drop of quality in back-up may make Ten Hag consider adding another centre-back. Skriniar would be a massive coup.
Youri Tielemans – Leicester
United’s first-choice midfield trio is quality but two of the three – Eriksen and Casemiro – are in their 30s and there would be no shame in the club looking toward the future. With Fred and Scott McTominay largely inconsistent and Donny van de Beek consistently poor, Ten Hag certainly wouldn’t sniff at some higher-calibre options.
There won’t be many better on the market than Youri Tielemans. Not even taking his run of outrageous goals into account, the Belgian is technically excellent on the ball and would add dynamism to the middle of the park.
Leandro Trossard – Brighton
The versatile and tricky forward is enjoying another fine Premier League campaign, with seven goals and three assists, and United know just how much quality he has. Trossard grabbed two assists and a goal when Brighton defeated Ralf Rangnick’s rabble 4-0 towards the end of last season.
Able to play up front, behind the striker or on either flank, the Belgian could be an excellent option for United to offer more flexibility in attacking areas.
Moussa Dembele – Lyon
A striker will be United’s biggest priority next year and while they may look to spend big money on the likes of Victor Osimhen, there could be some cheaper alternatives. The club has been monitoring Moussa Dembele for some time and they would have been happy with what they saw last season as he got 21 goals in 30 Ligue 1 games.
The Frenchman bizarrely lost his place this season to Alexandre Lacazette so a departure in the summer looks likely and United could finally get a man they’ve been keen on for some time.
Marcus Thuram – Borussia Monchengladbach
Another interesting option to fill the striker role could be Monchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram. The son of Lillian Thuram, he struggled last season but has burst back into form this year with 13 goals and four assists in just 17 matches.
Youssoufa Moukoko – Borussia Dortmund
Perhaps the most intriguing free agent next summer is Borussia Dortmund starlet Youssoufa Moukoko. The young striker is still just 17 but has six goals and four assists this season, including a last-gasp winner against his side’s fierce rivals Schalke. He has been named in Germany’s World Cup squad and there could be even more clubs chasing his signature should he have a breakout tournament.
Dortmund may be able to convince him to sign a new deal but if United could sneak in to get him they could be getting a player with untold potential for nothing
Memphis Depay – Barcelona
United know Memphis Depay well and things didn’t go to plan the first time around. But that was a long time ago now and in the years since Memphis has matured into an effective forward capable of playing anywhere across the attack. The fact he fits in Ten Hag’s strategy of signing players he has either worked with or are Dutch may tempt him to make a move for the Barcelona man.
Adrien Rabiot – Juventus
United were in talks to sign Adrien Rabiot in their desperate search for a midfielder but eventually pulled out of the deal due to the Frenchman’s wage demands. While those demands are unlikely to have lowered, the fact that United won’t have to pay up to £20million for him if he was to be released may make them consider signing him again.
Houssem Aouar – Lyon
If United wanted to go for a younger midfielder that has bags of skill then Houssem Aouar may also be available on a free in the summer. The dynamic Frenchman hasn’t fulfilled the potential he showed a few years ago when he earned rave reviews from Pep Guardiola but remains a good player, especially for nothing.
Konrad Laimer – RB Leipzig
Another potential midfield option is Konrad Laimer. The hard-working and energetic Austrian was admired by Rangnick and would add good legs to the middle.
