4. Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan)
As well as left-back being a problem area at Old Trafford, so too is centre-back. Like Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are shadows of their past selves, the former well into the winter of his career at 35 and the latter injury prone, managing just 25 league appearances between 2011-12/2012-13 with a serious knee injury. Understudies Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans are likewise unconvincing, all three struggling for consistency in the past, and the overriding feeling is that United need a new, world class, proven centre-back. Inter Milan's Andrea Rannochia
could become available in January, having grown disillusioned with life at the San Siro. Reports suggest the Italian centre-half is considering
handing in a transfer request in the New Year, which has put rivals Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal on alert. The 25-year-old is currently stalling over a new contract and could spark a bidding war when the transfer window reopens next month.