Manchester United are set to lose out on the race to sign Benfica fullback Alex Grimaldo as Napoli reportedly agrees to a deal to sign the Spanish defender. It will come as a big blow to Mourinho after his desire to recruit a left-back early in this transfer window. There are major concerns over Luke Shaw’s fitness following his lengthy spell on the sidelines which has seen miss the majority of the matches for United in this current campaign.
Ashley Young has assumed a makeshift role as a left-back in Shaw’s absence but he may not be seen as a long-term solution. The Red Devils are likely to go into this market to try and bring in a quality full-back this month as they try to bridge the gap to Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
Although, Mourinho has recently stated that he doesn’t expect his side to make any new additions in January. When asked last week to address whether the Manchester outfit will enter the current transfer market, Mourinho said: “I don’t think, I don’t think.”
It remains to be seen whether it’s a bluff by the Portuguese manager or if they really want to wait until the summer to dive into the market.
Here are three alternative options for Jose Mourinho to consider going into the future.
Danny Rose
The Tottenham Hotspur has fallen out of favour with their manager Mauricio Pochettino this season following some of his public comments about the club. However, he is still a quality left-back and is in line to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A potential move to Manchester United might turn his fortunes as he will definitely be a regular starter under Mourinho and has the quality to keep his place in the United starting eleven for years to come. He has a wealth of experience in the Premier League which will be an added bonus for United.
Alex Sandro
The Brazilian left wing back who plays for Juventus in the Serie A has made great strides since his move from FC Porto in the summer of 2015. He has impressed in the left wing back role for the past few seasons and will be a great addition to Jose Mourinho’s squad if they manage to swoop for his signature in the near future. He has made 19 appearances for Juventus this season and has scored one goal and made 5 assists.
Adriano
The Besiktas fullback is quite experienced and can be a short-term solution for the Red Devils. He has already played for Barcelona and Sevilla prior to joining the Turkish league. At 33, the defender still has a few years left in him to play at the top level so a potential move won’t be a bad idea for Jose Mourinho’s men.
