Manchester United finished off a tough season in the best way possible, deservedly winning the FA Cup against bitter rivals Manchester City at Wembley.
Nonetheless, any United fan knows that there is still much work to do. An eighth place finish in the Premier League underscores the depth of the job still needed to do to bring United back to the top of English football.
INEOS will want to make a strong impression in their first summer transfer window at the club but they must unfortunately operate within the limitations of PSR rules, which deny United the chance to spend exuberantly in this window.
Therefore, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. will need to spend smartly to try and fill as many gaps as possible in the squad. This could mean exploring the free signing market to bring in talent without having to spend big on transfer fees.
Naturally, the club should not base its main signings on free agency but there can be solid backup options or good opportunities like when the club brought in Christian Eriksen in 2022. Yes, this season was hardly vintage but he was a vital cog in the side’s midfield in the 2022/23 season.
Here are three signings who are all available for free this summer and could add something to United’s squad.
Wissam Ben Yedder
Ben Yedder is a striker that United have known about and tracked for a long time. As far back as 2019, the Red Devils expressed an interest in the French-Tunisian goal getter.
He has represented France 19 times in his career, scoring three goals. He boasts a strong record in the French Ligue 1 scoring 118 goals in 201 appearances for Monaco.
The striker also scored regularly for Sevilla in La Liga, finding the back of the net 70 times in 138 appearances.
What’s more, he has scored over 20 goals in six out of his last seven seasons, and the one he didn’t, he scored 19.
Ben Yedder is now 33 years old but he is a seasoned goalscorer who can provide value backup to Rasmus Hojlund. It is clear that United need a striker but also one that will not threaten their young striker’s growth as many fans and people believe at the club he has what it takes to get to the very top.
Ben Yedder has never played for a club like United, so at 33 years old, he would most likely be delighted to play a bench role and help teach Hojlund the ropes.
He is also a very different profile from the Dane as he has been described as having a “low centre of gravity – Ben Yedder stands at 1.70m or 5’7″ – and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, the Monaco man is a menace for opposition defenders”.
Mario Hermoso
United have had major difficulties in defence this season, conceding 85 goals in all competitions.
INEOS have made it an objective to sign one, if not two defenders this summer. While the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Jean-Clair Todibo seem more realistic options, they will be expensive, especially in the case of the former.
With United seemingly missing out on Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea, there could still be a free signing to make at centre back.
Hermoso is experienced but he is only 28 years old. He has played five years at Atletico Madrid, playing 174 times for the club in that time.
You do not survive under Diego Simeone or Atletico as a defender unless you know how to defend. Moreover, he can also play at left back which would bring flexibility and versatility to United’s backline.
He has been described as being “great on the ball, with good distribution and passing on the whole.” In addition, “he has been a valuable cog in defence as well as a leader in the dressing room for Atleti.”
A tough, experienced, ball-playing centre back who is available on a free sounds like a deal that INEOS should at least look into.
Guido Rodriguez
The Argentine defensive midfielder was a member of the 2022 World Cup winning squad and he has played the last five years of his career in La Liga at Real Betis, playing 173 times.
At 30 years old, his prime is probably past him but he is still a player who can contribute a lot as a rotation piece.
With Casemiro likely leaving and the young Kobbie Mainoo the key cog of the United midfield, surrounding him with experience and know-how is probably not the worst idea in the world.
Rodriguez has been previously linked to the club and now that Barcelona seem incapable of signing the player, a pathway to a deal could have opened up.
The midfield general is “extremely effective at winning back possession using his strength, long legs, powerful crouched posture and anticipation, this offers extra upside to his game.”
This is something that United have missed desperately since Casemiro’s decline and again, being on a free, could be a no-brainer squad option.
In Ben Yedder, Hermoso and Rodriguez INEOS have three experienced players who could plug weaknesses in the current team and complement younger, more expensive signings to increase the strength and depth of the squad.
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