Confirmed? Manchester United close to £40m signing and also linked with Arsenal forward – reports

Sanches - A wonderfully dynamic young player

As far as TFF is concerned, top level football is ever more about putting out a fearsome front three. Get your attacking line right and the rest largely takes care of itself.

Which is exactly why Manchester United should be investing heavily in forwards this summer.

Anthony Martial is poetry in motion and Marcus Rashford looks like the real deal. As for the rest – your Matas, Lingards and Youngs – they are good players but not good enough to get United back to the very top.

So it’s encouraging for Manchester United fans to hear rumour today that the club is closing in on a player who would be a perfect fit for the new generation.

The Manchester Evening News says:

Confirmed: Manchester United close to signing Renato Sanches from Benfica

United’s executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has been working on a deal with Benfica and the Reds are now clear favourites to land the player for a potential final fee of around £40m.

This would be another excellent coup for a club which looks to have a clear strategy of signing the best young talent in the world. Sanches is a powerful force of nature who moves a little like Ronaldinho but with slightly less ‘jink’ and slightly more power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_skRU34yK0

The Portuguese international is an uber-exciting talent and would possibly provide the perfect additional point of attack in a team which is too reliant on Martial right now.

In other news, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked to Manchester United. The Bleacher Report states (via BBC):

The Red Devils are also keen to sign Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 22. (Bleacher Report)

Chamberlain’s career path hasn’t been helped by a spate of injuries but he has been regularly overlooked for a starting spot this season and may fancy a move in order to improve his prospects. Lest we forget, this was a man who Roy Hodgson thought enough of to select him for the EURO 2012 tournament while still a teenager.

TFF believes that he would also be a fine addition for Manchester United. What do you think? Who would you prefer to add to the line up?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40foVc0H-FA