Premier League 2019-20: 3 short-term transfers Manchester United should consider this January to save their season

Gone are those days when the name 'Manchester United' used to instill a sense of fear among opponents. The Red Devils have suffered a huge decline since Alex Ferguson left, and the situation could not have been any worse than what they are witnessing now.

Despite pulling out a reasonably good summer transfer window, United are struggling at 10th position in the Premier League. There are growing concerns among the supporters that even a Europa League spot might not be up for grabs this time around.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tactical experiments have done little to inspire the team, and a mounting list of injuries have also added to their woes.

It's hard to convince teams to sell their best assets mid-way through the season, so it's highly unlikely that many top stars would come to Old Trafford in the winter transfer window.The best available option going forward is to rely on short-term solutions, and here we look at three players who could be the difference between Manchester United finishing in a Champions league spot and outside the top four.

3. Mario Mandzukic

Mario Mandzukic is understood to be looking for a new challenge, having been left out entirely of the Old Lady’s squad by Maurizio Sarri.

The 33-year-old Croat's footballing career aren't quite celebrated in the way his achievements merit. He has played and won major honours in Germany, Spain and Italy with Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juventus respectively. His international career is nothing short of spectacular either, and he was a key member of the Croatian squad that finished runners-up in the 2018 Russian World Cup.

Having scored only 13 goals from 11 league games, Manchester United's major worry this season has been their attack. It's now obvious that Solskjaer's decision not to sign any replacements for the departing Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez has backfired.

This has left him with an injury-prone Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, who is known for occupying the wings, as the only genuine contenders for the striker's position. They will have to sign someone in January at any cost.

When it comes to Mandzukic, there is more to his game than just accurate finishing. Strong in holding up the ball and pressing the opposition, he could also offer a towering presence in the six-yard box.

A player with vast experience and tremendous work rate, Mandzukic is exactly what Manchester United need upfront to get their season back on track.

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2. Mesut Ozil

It so happened that the best years came very early for Mesut Ozil, and they are now well in the past. However, Ozil could be the man to provide the much-needed creative spark that Manchester United are lacking at present.

The former German international began his senior career at Schalke, and he rose to fame after joining Real Madrid following the 2010 World Cup. He hasn't looked back since, going on to become one of the most decorated footballers of the 21st century.

Ozil was a key member of the World Cup-winning German national team. However, he had to prematurely end his stint with the national team in 2018 following a string of controversies, and has also fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal under Unai Emery.

Having once possessed players like Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, the Red Devils haven't produced any world-class midfielder reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson's time at the club. The young Scott McTominay, who has not even played 50 league games in his entire career, is Manchester United's best midfielder at present - which shows the lack of quality in the squad. Paul Pogba's long-term absence has also come as a blow for them.

This is where Mezut Ozil has a lot of significance. His imagination in the final third and ability to find a teammate in space could give a real boost to this squad. Pairing Ozil with Pogba would give Manchester United a midfield partnership that would be the envy of any opposition.

Ozil may not provide the same attacking threat that he once did but he could still be a good stop-gap until United sign a creative midfielder for the future. This could also provide one last option for Ozil to resurrect his glorious career.

1. Gareth Bale

It looks far from happening yet but if it materializes, Gareth Bale could make a telling contribution towards the Red Devils' attempt to salvage their season.

The former Tottenham star, who joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, boasts an impeccable scoring record. The Welshman had a major role to play in the four Champions league titles and one LaLiga title that Real Madrid won during his time.

But ever since Zinedine Zidane returned for his second stint at Los Blancos, Bale has largely remained on the periphery. Going into this season, Zidane publicly stated that its better for both parties to part ways.

Bale wanted to move to China, but the deal collapsed on the deadline day. And now, after falling short of players due to a devastating injury crisis early into the season, Zidane has had to reluctantly call upon Bale to do the job for him.

Turning 31 next year, Bale still has plenty to offer given his talent. Manchester United are desperately short on quality on the right wing; Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira haven't exactly set the field alight lately. The young Daniel James is the best of the lot, but his talent and experience may not be enough for the Red Devils to match up with their fellow competitors.

Bale's lack of discipline may be a matter of concern, just like his history with injuries. But his blistering pace and ability to score goals with exceptional regularity could come in handy for the Premier League strugglers.

Edited by Musab Abid