Man Utd Transfers: 5 Dream Midfielders Louis van Gaal Could Sign Before Deadline Day
5. Claudio Marchisio
Manchester United failed in their attempts to sign a top quality box-to-box midfielder last season because Marouane Fellaini simply hasn't worked out since his £27.5 million move from Everton on transfer deadline day last summer. And it's for that reason perhaps why United are looking into Claudio Marchisio. The versatile midfielder has long-been on the Red's radar and revealed back in March that the Manchester club had made contact with his representatives over a potential move to Old Trafford. Marchisio who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal is something of a chameleon in that he can play in a variety of midfield positions and is highly adaptable. The Italy international is able to play out wide in a three or four-man midfield or operate in a defensive midfield capacity, which would suit Louis van Gaal's ever-changing formations at United. Not only would he be a fantastic replacement for the ineffectual Fellaini, but he would also be a brilliant alternative to his Juventus teammate Arturo Vidal should United fail in their efforts to land the Chilean (more on that later on). Marchisio can play with both feet and has been known to come up with the odd goal, scoring the first of Italys goals in the 2-1 defeat of England at this summers World Cup to ultimately help knock the Three Lions out of the competition.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
