Manchester United could be back on track in catching up to city-rivals Manchester City, who seem to be running away with the Premier League title this season. Jose Mourinho, the current manager at Old Trafford, spent a decent amount of money on his squad in the last couple of summers but is evidently unhappy with the options at his disposal and is expected to be busy, trying to lure at least one big name to the club, come the end of the season.
There are a number of star players currently linked with a move to the club and two names constantly doing the rounds are Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann and Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale.
Both players have been long-term transfer targets for the Red Devils and in this piece, we try to look at who is a better option for them in the long-term.
The French international, Griezmann, is a versatile attacker, who often leads the attack for his side in La Liga. He is one of the most productive strikers in world football at the moment and has three goals and three assists this season for Diego Simeone’s side.
Welsh international Gareth Bale, who has faced recurring injury problems recently, is no longer the first choice for Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu and he has made just five league appearances, picking up two goals and an assist. Both players are wanted by a host of clubs around Europe, but who should Manchester United spend on?
Bale is currently 28, Griezmann 26, but both players are expected to cost a similar amount in the transfer market so it will come down to who suits the style at the club more, a question which is not too easy to answer.
A winger with genuine pace to burn, Bale is an established European star with a number of accolades to his name. The lack of a natural winger in the squad at Old Trafford has haunted the club in the past and adding Bale to the mix will make United one of the strongest squads in England.
However, Griezmann adds a different dimension to the attack at the club and with Zlatan Ibrahimovic not expected to stay back beyond this season, the French ace is a necessity for United at the moment.
Romelu Lukaku is expected to lead the attack for the Red Devils for years to come and Bale can slot in on either side of the Belgian but Griezmann, who can also play on the wing, can act as a support striker, forming a partnership with the former Everton man, that can rip defenses into shreds, even the best of the ones.
The two years Griezmann has on Bale should not be too huge a determinant and though Bale solves an impending problem at the club, Griezmann, with his diversity and technical ability, will be of more use to the Red Devils, without even taking into account the Welshman’s injury history.
But who do you think United should spend on, to improve their attack?
