THE NEXT 9
Here’s what I think about Manchester United's transfer plans: Manchester United is allegedly preparing to bring top French striker Antoine Griezmann to Manchester United at the beginning of the 2017 summer transfer window with a prepared bid of at least a 100 million pounds; the same amount it took the club to bring back top french midfielder Paul Pogba to his boyhood club. So far, Pogba has justified his record breaking transfer from Italy with a decent performance during his appearances for the team. Thus, with Jose Mourinho already proving to Manchester United football club that he knows how to put the chess pieces together to make the club better by bringing in top players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly (and of course Paul Pogba) all in the space of his first season as football manager in Old Trafford, it is clear why Manchester United fans are so excited with the circulating rumour of top notch french striker Griezmann joining the team. The potential ace man would replace Ibrahimovic as the swedish striker prepares for a possible future in the MLS this season - or so the english press says.
However, as amazing as it sounds to have another great goal getter like Griezmann succeeding another great like Ibrahimovic as Manchester United's future striker next season, the board members in charge of transfer activities should stop and ask themselves this question: If Griezmann does indeed join Manchester United this summer then what happens to Anthony Martial? When Martial signed for Manchester United in 2015 for a resounding fee of £36 million, and in his first season Martial bagged 17 goals in 41 appearances for Manchester United, he instantly stole the admiration of his fellow team mates and the hearts of the fans at Old Trafford. But since Ibrahimovic's arrival, Martial was automatically relegated to second choice striker for Manchester United - and with good reason too because Zlatan's record as a Manchester United in just a single season speaks for itself. Ibrahimovic's 15 goals in 35 appearances is a remarkable record for a 35 year old player who is nearly at the end of his career.
Of course this is all speculation. No one knows what is going on in the mind of Jose Mourinho regarding the successor (if any) of the number nine shirt in Manchester United. Will Martial be reinstated as the number nine for Manchester United? Will Rooney dust up his old golden boots, turn back the clock and try giving the Old Trafford's fans one more glorious season in front of the goal to cap his illustrious career at Manchester United? Or will Manchester United have another, amazing, French man worth at least £86 million from Atletico Madrid leading the goalscoring charge next season? We’ll have to wait till the 2017 summer transfer windows opens up to find out.
However, as amazing as it sounds to have another great goal getter like Griezmann succeeding another great like Ibrahimovic as Manchester United's future striker next season, the board members in charge of transfer activities should stop and ask themselves this question: If Griezmann does indeed join Manchester United this summer then what happens to Anthony Martial? When Martial signed for Manchester United in 2015 for a resounding fee of £36 million, and in his first season Martial bagged 17 goals in 41 appearances for Manchester United, he instantly stole the admiration of his fellow team mates and the hearts of the fans at Old Trafford. But since Ibrahimovic's arrival, Martial was automatically relegated to second choice striker for Manchester United - and with good reason too because Zlatan's record as a Manchester United in just a single season speaks for itself. Ibrahimovic's 15 goals in 35 appearances is a remarkable record for a 35 year old player who is nearly at the end of his career.
Of course this is all speculation. No one knows what is going on in the mind of Jose Mourinho regarding the successor (if any) of the number nine shirt in Manchester United. Will Martial be reinstated as the number nine for Manchester United? Will Rooney dust up his old golden boots, turn back the clock and try giving the Old Trafford's fans one more glorious season in front of the goal to cap his illustrious career at Manchester United? Or will Manchester United have another, amazing, French man worth at least £86 million from Atletico Madrid leading the goalscoring charge next season? We’ll have to wait till the 2017 summer transfer windows opens up to find out.
