The summer is almost upon us so that means that the transfer window will be too.
While most people will scour Europe or South America, we shouldn’t forget some hidden gems in the Football League.
James Maddison, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and let’s not forget potential Ballon D’or winner this year Jude Bellingham to name a few, are examples that the talent is there but the question is do big clubs have the patience to mould it?
We are going look at a couple of players that United should look at in the summer under the new regime of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.
Leif Davis
Ex-Manchester United coach and potential future manager Kieran McKenna has done wonders with Ipswich Town since he joined the East Anglian club in December 2021. One of his biggest successes is left back Leif Davis, signed from Leeds for £1 million. He has simply been a revelation.
With 14 assists in their promotion season last year, Davis recorded 17 this term as the Tractor Boys secured promotion back to the top-flight.
United have big fitness concerns with both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia both having lengthy spells on the sidelines for the last few seasons.
Defensively, he maybe not the best but going forward Davis is brilliant.
Ronnie Edwards
The name sounds more like a gangster in 60’s London, but Edwards is a potential steal for any big club in the future. Peterborough have a great track record of finding talented players other teams have missed and selling them on for huge profit. Edwards is next on the conveyor belt of talent.
Edwards is just under 6ft and is a physical defender that can handle the rough and tumble of the third tier of English football and with Peterborough losing in the play-offs this season, it is guaranteed he will be playing at a higher level regardless as the Posh will struggle to keep him
A player who uses his physicality to good effect, but can also play the ball too with a good long ball in his arsenal. He has played predominantly on the left-hand side of defence this season next to Josh Knight, the England U20 international won’t be a lower league secret for too much longer if he carries on.
Crystal Palace and West Ham both have an interest in him and Palace tried to purchase him in the previous window so no doubt they will be back again. Edwards could be available for north of £10/15m but a good structured deal with add ons might be the best way to go as Barnet have a 50% sell on clause.
Also seeing as we are talking about a League One Defender then a mention of Charlie Hughes at Wigan, another player who is emerging as a good prospect and considering that Wigan’s pitch is also used for the towns Rugby League team then his use of the ball is impressive.
Jonathan Rowe
James Maddison, Max Aarons, and Emi Buendia are a couple of names in the last few seasons who have emerged from Norwich and become established Premier League players and Rowe could well add his name to that list soon enough.
Rowe is a left winger who is comfortable on the right as well and has huge potential, a good dribbler with a good turn of pace with a penchant for the spectacular. He is an exciting prospect, and he is certainly drawing admiring glances from a few Premier League clubs, if Norwich don’t go up this season and a big enough bid comes in do not be surprised if he makes the leap.
Speaking of making the leap, Rowe scores more headers than you think a tricky winger does so another reason to like him. United have question marks over a few of their wingers particularly Marcus Rashford, so a young winger who could develop might be a good purchase if United decide to cash in on other attacking players not playing at the moment.
Also while Crysencio Summerville maybe getting all the headlines and rightfully so, I doubt Leeds would sell to United. I like Jack Clarke at Sunderland who is a player similar to Rowe who also has his suitors and will be more than likely on the move in the summer with 15 goals and 6 assists it’s easy to see why.
Jordan James
Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Atalanta are three teams that if they take an interest in a player then you know that player has potential. An example is Viktor Gyokeres as several Premier League clubs didn’t think he was worth the £20m that Coventry wanted after his stellar campaign in the Championship, in step Sporting Lisbon who paid €20m and one year on could triple their money.
Atalanta tried to buy James in the January transfer window and with Birmingham now relegated, it could mean he would need to be sold to help balance the books.
The last midfielder to catch the eye for Birmingham was one Jude Bellingham, now James isn’t as good as Jude (who is?) but still a wonderful player who has a lot of potential. When Wales beat Croatia in Cardiff in October, James drew special praise for his maturity up against the likes of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic.
Before he was sacked as manager of Birmingham, United legend Wayne Rooney liked what he saw from the Welsh international and pushed him into a more advanced position with his eye for goal and his ability to make good runs into the box.
James is equally adept playing a deeper role as well but the queue for his services will stretch round the block, and with United having to completely revamp their midfield again this year, they may want to get in quickly to stop some of Europe’s best talent factories finding another gem who slipped out of the Premier League’s grasp.
Jacob Greaves
A left-footed ball playing centre back is a rarity in football, they are highly coveted and attract lots of attention especially if you have a good one and Hull certainly have one in Jacob Greaves.
The 6ft 4in defender is drawing admiring glances from both Everton and Spurs and a few others, Everton will have to sell Jarrad Branthwaite this summer to avoid further potential financial breaches, so Greaves fits the bill to replace him.
United have been linked to Branthwaite for between £60-75m depending on what you read so wouldn’t it make more sense to go and buy the guy who Everton want to replace him? Manchester United loved a drawn-out transfer saga which was gold for content creators and journalists but morale sapping for fans so will Sir Jim Ratcliffe go for a smarter approach? Here is hoping.
The defender has already racked up 200 appearances so far in his career and United might hope his career reflects that of current United defender Harry Maguire, who also played for Hull before his switch to Leicester prior to joining United.
Greaves has all the qualities that his stature would suggest, big and physical, but he also uses the ball very well. It would be extremely easy to make comparisons with Maguire due to size and use of the ball at times, but Greaves has a good understanding of the game and reads it well, which he will need when he makes the step up.
Hull won’t make it easy for a club to try to buy him and nor should they, but United could spend less than half of what they might on Branthwaite and still get a talented player out of it.
Also, the last time in my lifetime United bought an English left-footed centre back good on the ball was Gary Pallister and if he is half as good United will have a bargain.
Now all these players are not ready to start week in and week out for United, they are not proven at Premier League level. If they are bought and given time and patience to mature, then I don’t see any reason as to why they can’t succeed at the highest level for United in the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe era.
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United should look into Stoke City Bae Junho,very likeable to Ji Sung Park.