Manchester United in need of summer surgery

James Ducker

Manchester United have already tied up deals for Javier Hernandez, the Mexico striker, and Chris Smalling, the England Under-21 defender, who will move to Old Trafford from Chivas and Fulham respectively on July 1.

Given the struggles of other emerging young players Sir Alex Ferguson has signed in the past three years, however, United supporters remain uncertain about what to expect from Hernandez and Smalling, neither of whom have much pedigree to talk of as yet.

Ferguson said last week that he plans to sign “two more players at the most”, but whether or not that is true, there is a growing feeling among fans that United need another goalkeeper, midfield player and striker to help address the weaknesses that have been exposed during the course of an inconsistent campaign.

Even if United win a record fourth successive Barclays Premier League title, in addition to the Carling Cup secured in February, seven league defeats so far, elimination from the Champions League quarter-finals at the hands of a modest Bayern Munich team, defeat in the third round of the FA Cup by Leeds United and a dependence on Wayne Rooney make it clear that some surgery is required.

Here, timesonline takes a look at who might come and go at Old Trafford this summer.

GOALKEEPER

Edwin Van der Sar has been one of Ferguson’s best signings of the past five years, the Dutchman’s form between the posts underlining what a mistake the United manager made by failing to sign him earlier as a replacement for Peter Schmeichel.

But Van der Sar turns 40 in October, and with next season expected to be his last at the club, Ferguson needs a world-class goalkeeper he can rely upon.

Tomasz Kuszczak coped admirably with a makeshift defence in front of him when Van der Sar was out injured and then on compassionate leave because of an illness to his wife during an eight week period between the end of November and middle of January, but the Pole does not instil enough confidence in his team-mates to be considered a regular No 1 and is prone to mistakes.

Ben Foster was supposed to be the heir apparent to Van der Sar, but the 27-year-old has endured a dreadful season. He has not started a game since October 3, when errors in the 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland prompted Ferguson to tear into a goalkeeper who had boldly proclaimed would become England’s No 1 for years.

A series of other blunders have raised serious questions about his ability to keep goal for a club of United’s stature, and despite appearing to be certain to go to the World Cup earlier in the season, his inclusion in Fabio Capello’s squad for South Africa now seems unlikely.

Gary Bailey, the former United goalkeeper, revealed this week that Foster’s stock has fallen so low at Old Trafford that he was even training apart in some sessions from the other players.

Ferguson has ran the rule of Hugo Lloris, the Lyon and France goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, at Schalke 04, and Igor Afinkeev, the CSKA Moscow No. 1.

Lloris did not look convincing in Lyons' 1-0 defeat away to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last night – he probably should have done better in dealing with Arjen Robben’s deflected strike - and the prospect of signing a left-footed French goalkeeper may evoke memories of Fabien Barthez for United supporters.

But Lloris, 23, is highly regarded and is thought to be Ferguson’s first choice. United, however, have had little success trying to prise players away from Lyons in the past. Michael Essien, Mahamadou Diarra and Karim Benzema have all fallen through their grasp in recent years and Ferguson must decide if he is prepared to run the risk of a fourth humiliation.

Neuer, 24, would be a cheaper alternative and, at 6ft 4½ inches, certainly cuts an imposing figure. He is expected to go to the World Cup with Germany. Afinkeev, 24, impressed against United in the Champions League this season but there are reputedly concerns about the Russia goalkeeper’s handling from crosses out wide.

Possible ins: Lyon’s Hugo Lloris, who would cost around £15 million, possibly more, or Manuel Neuer, of Schalke, who would fetch around £10-£12 million.

Possible outs: Ben Foster

DEFENCE

United appear to be increasingly hopeful that Nemanja Vidic will stay, even though it had seemed near certain the Serbia defender would leave in the summer. Vidic is contracted to the club until June 2012 and United are likely to insist he signs a new deal, rather than let his present one run down. Real Madrid, AC Milan and Barcelona are all interested in the player.

The importance of keeping Vidic is heightened by the continuing fitness problems of Rio Ferdinand, who has already suffered three minor injuries since returning in January from a four-month lay-off with a chronic back problem that the defender conceded left him walking “like a hunchback”.

Gary Neville has yet to been given a new one-year deal, but given his solid form and consistent inclusion in recent weeks that cannot be discounted by any means. If he stays, and with Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Rafael Da Silva to call upon, Ferguson is unlikely to be in the market for a right back. Fabio Da Silva is expected to be given more opportunities at left back next season, although Patrice Evra is probably the best guaranteed starter after Rooney.

United have been persistently linked with Simon Kjaer, the 21-year-old Palermo and Denmark centre-half, and are expected to move at some point for Jack Rodwell, the young Everton player who is comfortable in midfield or defence. United would probably prefer to wait another year, but with Chelsea and Manchester City also circling, their hands could be forced this summer.

Possible ins: Jack Rodwell, of Everton, although he would cost at least £20 million. Simon Kjaer at Palermo would be a cheaper alternative at around £15 million.

Possible outs: Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville

MIDFIELD

Anderson may well have found himself surplus to requirements this summer but for a ruptured cruciate knee ligament that could rule out the possibility of selling the Brazilian. Unless his form and attitude improves markedly next season, though, he may be on borrowed time anyway.

Owen Hargreaves has not played for the first team for 19 months and it is anyone’s guess as to whether he will ever make a successful return. The England midfield player is about to enter the final year of his contract having made just 25 starts since joining United in a £20.2 million deal from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2007, and with little resale value now given his plethora of injury problems, Ferguson must hope he can regain at least part of his fitness and play a role of sorts next term.

Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have each been given another season, but the future of Michael Carrick remains uncertain. The England midfield player’s form in the big games especially has been poor, notably the Champions League final against Barcelona last May, the first leg of this season’s Round of 16 tie against AC Milan in the San Siro and both legs of the quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich.

He did not feature against Chelsea and has not played since the second leg against Bayern, having been omitted from the 18-man squad against Blackburn Rovers and an unused substitute against Manchester City. Should a suitable offer come in, it is not unfeasible that Ferguson may sell. Zoran Tosic, the Serbia winger who has been on loan at Cologne since January, may also leave, having failed to convinced since his £6.3 million move from Partizan Belgrade.

United have been monitoring Jamer Milner, the £20 million rated Aston Villa and England midfield player, and have been linked with a move for Joe Cole, the Chelsea winger, who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Marek Hamsik, 22, the highly-rated Napoli and Slovakia attacking midfield player, has been on United’s radar for some time. Ferguson has also been a long-term admirer of David Silva, the Valencia winger.

Possible ins: James Milner from Aston Villa or Marek Hamsik from Napoli, both of whom would cost in the region of £20 million; Joe Cole is available on a free transfer from Chelsea at the end of the season.

Possible outs: Michael Carrick, Anderson, Zoran Tosic

ATTACK

United’s dependence on Wayne Rooney, who has scored 34 goals this season, has been obvious for all to see. The recruit of a world-class striker to ease the burden on Rooney has to be high on Ferguson’s agenda.

Mame Biram Diouf, Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck all remain raw and not all can be guaranteed to make the grade, while it remains to be seen how Michael Owen recovers from his hamstring operation.

The main question surrounds the future of Dimitar Berbatov, who has been routinely overlooked for the biggest games and has yet to get close to justifying his club record £30.75 million fee.

AC Milan and Bayern Munich have been linked with moves for the Bulgaria forward in recent weeks, but United would do well to recoup even half of what they paid for him and it is unclear if Ferguson is prepared to take a big financial hit on the player, especially as his departure would leave him needing to sign two new strikers, not just one.

Talk is rife of Ferguson going back in for Karim Benzema, the France striker who rejected the chance to move to Old Trafford in favour of joining Real Madrid last summer. Edin Dzeko, the Wolfsburg forward, and Luis Suarez, the Ajax striker, have also been linked with the club. Dzeko’s lack of pace is thought to be a concern, however.

Oscar Cardozo, the Benfica striker, is another name in the frame, although David Villa’s age – he turns 29 in December – is likely to be thwart the prospect of a move for the Valencia and Spain striker, unless Ferguson breaks with his policy of not signing players over the age of 26, or with little resale value, as he did with next to no success with Berbatov.

Possible ins: Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, Edin Dzeko at Wolfsburg

Possible outs: Dimitar Berbatov, Danny Welbeck