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Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Football fans are used to seeing the Red Devils compete at the highest level both domestically and in the Champions League. However, United have been in a tailspin since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. Poor managerial and squad recruitment has seen United fall from the upper echelons of European football.
David Moyes' tenure at Old Trafford was disastrous and the Scotsman lost his job without completing a full season in charge. Louis van Gaal's appointment was met with optimism but the Dutchman's stale football took a toll on the results and saw him leave after winning an FA Cup. Jose Mourinho steadied the ship for a season and won three trophies but then contributed to United's current predicament thanks to his tendency to implode in the third season of his tenure.
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United need a massive overhaul. The squad is simply not good enough to compete at the highest level. There are, however, bright spots in the United squad. They do possess talented players around whom a talented squad can be built. Here is a look at five players who United must facilitate a rebuild around.
1. Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford is currently the focal point of United's attack. The Englishman has 19 goals in 29 appearances at the time of writing and has taken up the responsibility of leading United's frontline really well. At just 22 years of age, Rashford has his best ahead of him. The youngster also has a special connection with the fans given he has been at United since he was just seven years old. Therefore, Rashford should be the star talent around whom United build a side that can support him and bring out his best.
The forward has already made a massive 200 appearances for United and is gradually improving his output in terms of goals and assists. United must strive to keep Rashford at the club, especially as he hits his prime.
Even though United need another top-class centre-forward, this is no reason to affect Rashford's place in the team considering the youngster is far more comfortable as an inside-forward playing on the left-wing.
2. Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial is arguably the most talented player that United currently possess apart from Paul Pogba. The Frenchman's career at United so far has been a mixed affair. When fit and firing, Martial is one of the best forwards in the league, possessing the pace, dribbling and clinical finishing to punish any side on his day. The biggest issue so far has been how often we actually get to see a fit and firing Martial.
The former AS Monaco man has struggled with injuries since his transfer from the Ligue 1 in 2015. Despite his obvious talent, the forward has managed a double-digit tally of goals in the league only twice. His best season in England so far was his debut campaign when he scored 17 goals in all competitions. Martial's overall stats for United read 59 goals and 32 assists in 196 appearances.
Such stats are not sub-par by any means but more is expected from the mercurial forward. Martial certainly possesses the talent and skill-set for United to keep him in their plans for a rebuild. A potential partnership with Rashford would be extremely interesting as well considering both forwards will enter their primes in around the same period.
3. Paul Pogba
Although a potentially controversial selection, Paul Pogba is United's most talented player. His obvious talent has been undermined by the situation around him as well as injuries and personal issues. The Frenchman has made just seven appearances in the league this season due to injuries and the constant speculation linking him to Real Madrid never seems to end. Manchester United have quite a task on their hand in convincing the World Cup winner to stay at Old Trafford but they should do everything in their power to do so.
Very few midfielders in the world can boast a skillset as versatile and dynamic as Pogba does. The midfielder is capable of playing in a variety of roles and his goalscoring ability is extremely important to a side that is heavily reliant on Rashford and Martial to score.
The Frenchman has 31 goals and 31 assists in 150 appearances for United, illustrating how integral he is to their midfield. Without Pogba, the likes of Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic, Fred and Andreas Pereira struggle to progress the ball and as a result, United struggle to transition from defence to attack. Pogba's ability to make menacing dribbles from deep in the midfield and link up with his teammates has a profound effect on United's mentality.
The creativity that the former Juventus star brings is also unparalleled by anyone else in this United side. While orchestrating a rebuild, United need someone of Pogba's ability and stature as the centre-piece and find players to complement his style of play.
4. David de Gea
David de Gea has been pivotal in ensuring that United have not slid further down the table despite their managerial woes. At times, the Spanish goalkeeper has single-handedly kept United in games they ought to have lost heavily. A slight dip in form since the World Cup has not undermined his status as one of the best keepers in the world.
De Gea's reflexes and reading of the game set him apart from other keeper. Recency bias may have him as classified as 'past his prime' but this is far from the case. De Gea is just 29 years old, relatively young for a goalkeeper. He has already amassed 386 appearances for United and also captains the side frequently. His recent contract extension also illustrates his commitment to Manchester United.
Buying a new goalkeeper to replace de Gea is not the need of the hour and there is no urgent requirement to replace him between the posts. The Spaniard perhaps requires a relaxed pre-season to get back to his best. With him in goal, United are assured of a fantastic shot-stopper as a custodian.
5. Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire moved to United from Leicester City over the summer in a record-breaking fee was agreed for his services. The menacing centre-back has already captained the side on a number of occasions illustrating his leadership qualities. Performance-wise, the Englishman has been fairly solid, although he has been exposed on few occasions as well. The former Leicester City defender did not have a full pre-season with the rest of the side and deserves more time to settle down in his new surroundings. Maguire is comfortably United's best defender. Victor Lindelof is yet to convince that he can be a reliable defender while Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones aren't good enough. Therefore, he should be the base of the defence.
Individual quality is not sufficient to succeed as a defender and therefore Maguire needs a partner who can mask his lack of pace and mobility. His aggression and tenacity should be balanced with a defensive partner who is more composed and vigilant. The objective should be to find Maguire such a partner so that he can live up to the £80 million United paid for him.
