Manchester United are on the brink of a Europa League final, clinging to one of their last hopes of salvaging an otherwise dismal season.
With a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg against Athletic Club in Bilbao, the Red Devils return to Old Trafford today with a chance to seal their place in the final—and keep alive their faint hopes of Champions League qualification.
Read – Seven changes – Predicted 3-4-2-1 Man Utd lineup vs Athletic Bilbao
The Europa League has turned out to be a saving grace for what has been an appalling season for Man Utd. In the Premier League, they have been extremely poor and Ruben Amorim’s appointment hasn’t necessarily panned out as expected.
Losses after losses have compounded in the Premier League and they are nowhere close to the top half of the table, let alone a European spot and securing Champions League football through the Europa League might be a chance to salvage their future.
Free agent market
Qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition would not just benefit Man Utd financially but also give them the sporting pull to secure players with a higher pedigree. However, the Red Devils are still expected to be walking a tight rope this upcoming summer.
When financially constrained, the free agent market is an excellent avenue to explore and as per Caught Offside, Man Utd are ready to beat Liverpool in the race to sign 29-year-old Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah.
Other clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan are all interested in the experienced German international who is in the final months of his contract at Leverkusen and is set to be available on a Bosman transfer this upcoming summer.
An absolute no-brainer
Ruben Amorim deploys a system that needs three centre-backs, and getting someone with Tah’s quality on a free transfer would be a no-brainer. The German would instantly add quality depth to the central defense and can compete for a starting berth.
Securing a player of Tah’s calibre on a free transfer would be a shrewd move for United, especially as Amorim works to rebuild with limited resources.
The experienced Kaiser could provide the kind of defensive solidity and leadership this squad desperately needs. If all goes to plan, fans at Old Trafford may soon be welcoming Jonathan Tah in red.
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