5 players Manchester United could've signed instead of Cristiano Ronaldo

#3 Eduardo Camavinga

Manchester United ignored Eduardo Camavinga to sign Cristiano Ronaldo

Eduardo Camavinga is another player Manchester United could've signed instead of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils were linked with a swoop for the former Stade Rennais midfielder during the summer transfer window but ended up missing out on his signature.

The Frenchman eventually joined Real Madrid on a transfer worth €31 million on deadline day. He's off to a decent start to life in the Spanish capital, having made 11 appearances for Los Blancos so far, scoring once and assisting another.

Eduardo Camavinga would've been a great addition to Manchester United's squad. The 21-year-old impresses at controlling the tempo of the game, passes decently and doesn't shy away from making vital tackles.

He is a hard worker with or without the ball as well as an aggressive presser - something the Red Devils currently lack at the moment.

#2 Yves Bissouma

The Malian is enjoying a decent spell with Brighton

Another player who could improve Manchester United's midfield, Yves Bissouma, continues to impress with Brighton in the Premier League this season. The Malian has made seven appearances in the English top flight so far, putting up impressive performances in all and recording an assist to his name.

Instead of signing Cristiano Ronaldo, it could've made more sense for the Red Devils to sign the Brighton star. Especially considering Fred's recent struggles and the fact that Paul Pogba's contract will run out at the end of the term.

Bissouma remains one of the finest players in his position in the Premier League right now. Although he doesn't contribute much in attack due to his deep-lying role, the Malian is an extremely well-rounded player with a high level of technique. He is also a hard worker, covering a lot of ground and throwing himself against all sorts of opposition advances.

#1 Erling Haaland

Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland would be an option for the future

Even if Manchester United needed a focal point in attack, signing a 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't the right move. It would've been more meaningful to go all out and lure Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland to Old Trafford.

That would've been a transfer for the present and the future. At just 21 years old, Erling Haaland has already established himself among the finest goalscorers in world football and is only getting better with time.

The striker has scored 13 goals for Dortmund in nine appearances across all competitions so far this season. Last term, he finished as the Champions League's top scorer with 10 goals to his name and concluded the campaign with 41 goals in as many games.

Haaland has had a good connection with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since their time together at Molde. His agent, Mino Raiola, also has a decent relationship with Manchester United, which could've helped in negotiations.