Manchester United have openly declared their interest in Inter Milan maestro Wesley Sneijder, despite having already made a number of key additions to their squad this summer. Sir Alex Ferguson has already added Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David De Gea to his squad, and he is not done yet.
Caughtoffside.com has reported that although the Nerazzurri are keen to keep hold of their star midfielder, they are interested in United winger Nani, and would like to include him in a potential swap deal, should Sneijder make the move. This demand may in fact be a better option for United, as opposed to trying to sign the Dutch international for an outright large sum transfer fee.
Replacement
Sneijder has been continuously linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks, as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to replace the loss of his long serving midfield general, Paul Scholes.
Other proposed options have included Tottenham’s Luka Modric and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri. Modric has publically stated his desire to move to Chelsea and remain in London however, whilst Arsene Wenger is determined not to sell Nasri; particularly not to Sir Alex and United.
The Frenchman’s contract expires at the end of next season, although the Red Devils desperately need to sign a central midfielder in the next month, if they wish to be competitive both domestically and in Europe this season.
Of the best established midfielders in Europe, it seems Sneijder is the most viable option for United, but a deal for the Dutchman is not without problems.
Financial pressure
With many of United’s ageing stars retiring, including Edwin van der Sar and Gary Neville, Sir Alex has had no choice but to embark on a summer spending spree.
The Daily Mail has reported that United have tabled a bid of £35 million for the Dutch star. Additionally, the player is reportedly demanding incredible wages of £250,000 per week. Combined with the other new arrivals at Old Trafford, Sneijder would take United’s spending into the region of £85 million for the summer, should he make the move.
While United continue on this spending spree, they will also have to consider UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules that come into effect this season. Allowing Nani to make a move in the opposite direction however, could be the catalyst to releasing their financial tension on the proposed deal.
Trade bait
Nani has fallen down the pecking order at United, starting on the bench for the Champions League final, and now from the recent arrival of English winger Ashley Young has put his future in further doubt at the club. For this reason, he may be the perfect trade bait for the English champions, who should cut their losses with the Portuguese international now.
With Antonio Valencia and Young expected to be first choice for United out wide, Sir Alex also has depth in Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-Sung. Nani is a good player for United but with so many alternatives to Nani, swapping him in a deal for Sneijder seems to be the right choice.
Unfair expectation
Nani was labelled by many as the ‘new Cristiano Ronaldo’, as both were signed by United from Portuguese club Sporting CP, and both started their careers as wide players. Clearly Nani will never live up to that unfair expectation which was placed upon his shoulders, but he is still a very good player in his own right. Inter would not be signing a bad footballer, perhaps one that just hasn’t quite flourished as expected.
The Serie A would offer Nani a fresh challenge, and the change in scenery may just be the tonic Nani needs to really develop into a top class footballer. The new boss of the Nerazzurri, Gian Piero Gasperini, will be under immense pressure immediately to bring success back to the club, particularly following last season’s disappointment. If Sneijder completes his desired move to Old Trafford, then securing Nani would certainly soften the blow.
Should Manchester United swap Nani to sign Inter’s Sneijder?
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