Champions League star offers major transfer advice to Manchester United and Ralf Rangnick – Casey Evans
Every club loves a marquee signing and Manchester United are certainly no different. A summer window that included the respective arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho was one of the best the club have seen in a long time.
In the summer of 2019, United signed a number of important signings as Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire were drafted at Old Trafford, both of whom had established themselves as strong Premier League players.
You see, no matter how far United have cast their net, you can’t deny that the majority of their signings appear to come from the top European leagues, although new signings Wan-Bissaka and Maguire were joined at United in 2019 by a player who had never played a match in the higher level.
United’s search for a right winger led them to turn to Swansea speedster Daniel James. Although he had never played at a higher level in the Championship, James was immediately thrown into the deep end and struggled to adjust to the rigors of the Premier League.
The Welshman was finally sold to Leeds United last summer, and fans fear the experience has left a mark on United enough to keep them from diving into England’s lower leagues again.
However, Villarreal winger and Champions League star Arnaut Danjuma is proof that there are gems to be found in leagues like the Championship.
Danjuma has been a revelation for Unai Emery’s side so far this season, helping them secure their place in the Champions League round of 16 with four goals and one assist.
(Image: Photo by Jan Kruger – UEFA / UEFA via Getty Images)
The Dutch winger’s qualities were evident when he plied his trade in the league with Bournemouth last season.
His 15 goals and eight assists in 33 league appearances for the Cherries almost promoted the squad to the top flight, and Liverpool were said to have been interested in him before Villarreal picked him up for £ 21million.
But don’t be fooled into thinking that Danjuma is unique. Leicester City signed James Maddison from then-champions Norwich City in 2018 and he has become a vital part of their effort for European football in recent seasons.
Jarrod Bowen was also drafted in the Second Division and he did an equally remarkable job as Maddison, helping David Moyes’ West Ham side secure European football last season.
Just like you, we never tire of Manchester United! This is why we have decided to complement our extensive United coverage on the Manchester Evening News with a more fan-centric platform designed specifically for United fans – United in my mind.
Writers and presenters who share your passion for the red side of Manchester will produce written, visual and audio content to reflect the mood in the stands as well as in the press box.
Follow our team on Twitter (@MikeParrott_, @GarrickOmar, @Casey_Evans_ and @AnilKandola)!
And finally, the most famous league signing of recent times. Jude Bellingham, who Borussia Dortmund signed after the young midfielder refused to move to Old Trafford, has quickly become one of the top-rated midfielders in the world.
United’s recruiting under Ralf Rangnick is likely to improve significantly, however, it is important that the club start to think outside the box. There are some brilliantly talented players in the lower leagues, it’s just a matter of finding them before they become household names.
In your opinion, are there any current league stars United should sign? Follow our writer United On My Mind Casey evans on Twitter and join the discussion in the comments section below.