How Man Utd's Strongest XI Could Look by the Start of Next Season

Get ready for the weirdest transfer window of all time - coming to you this summer.

Or, well, some time. We're not entirely sure when yet.

Manchester United appear to be one of the best-equipped clubs to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak and resultant suspension of football in the coming months (especially when it comes to transfer business) because of their strong financial position.

Looks like Ed Woodward knew what he was doing all along with those noodle deals....

Anyway, what we've done across 90min over the past few weeks is look at how each club could line up on the opening day of next season given they'd have the chance to sign (or lose) some players before then - so here's your fill on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Red Devils.

GK: David de Gea

With no further uncertainty over whether he'll sign a new deal (he did, in the end, if you remember - it now seems like it was about 326 years ago), David de Gea will be completing his 10th season at Manchester United by the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

He's not been at his sparkling best in the most recent outings, but he's still one of the top goalkeepers in the world and has plenty left in the tank. De Gea is one of the older heads in the dressing room now, too, and expect him to take his share of the responsibility when it comes to leading United back to the top.

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Regarded by many United fans as the best defensive full back in world football, it's fair to say Aaron Wan-Bissaka enjoyed a strong first season at Old Trafford. 

Pocketing Raheem Sterling time after time has become a habit, but question marks remain over what the former Crystal Palace man can do going forward. He'll need to be effective in the final third to be a continued success in red.

The positive thing is that in United's most recent fixtures - it seems so long ago now - Wan-Bissaka had shown big improvements in his attacking output. The statistics show it too - his numbers are up for crosses, chances created, dribbles and big chances created in fixtures since Boxing Day compared to the opening months of the season. 

CB: Victor Lindelof

It's no secret that most football clubs across the world will be feeling the effects of Coronavirus when it comes to how they work in the transfer market in the summer.

United will be no different. And while they're in a better position than most clubs to deal with the crisis on the financial front, it means they're not going to go crazy spending money filling positions they don't necessarily need to fill.

That's probably why Victor Lindelof will retain his place in the team next season. Centre back is a position United would like to address but there's no urgent, pressing need to buy another player for the role. It's easy to forget how many they have on their books at present.

CB: Harry Maguire

United's new club captain will be a mainstay in defence for many years to come.

While he's derided for not being Virgil van Dijk while costing more than Virgil van Dijk, most sensible thinkers would look at his performances in his debut campaign and think "y'know what, he's actually had a good season".

Whether just having a good season is value for money at £80m is another question, but on the face of it, Slabhead has improved United's back line.

LB: Luke Shaw

Brandon Williams will be pushing Luke Shaw all the way for this left back slot when football resumes, and rightly so. But Shaw in recent months seems to have rediscovered his confidence and his performances have improved as a result.

Many of those performances came on the left side of a back three, but when featuring in his natural position Shaw has been strong too - even if he divides opinion in the United fanbase.

Williams and Shaw will likely share this role moving forward, while the formation change will give United the flexibility to feature both - as they have been doing.

CM: Scott McTominay

It's weird to think that in 2020 Manchester United actually have decent options in central midfield.

Nemanja Matic has been in great form when he's played since the turn of the year, and Fred has enjoyed his real breakthrough season in the north west with some of his showings. Either of them could've been picked here and will likely rotate (Jude Bellingham might be used in there too if he arrives) but we're going with McSauce as the primary option.

The Scottish international brings energy, bite and a bit of quality too, so expect Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to continue turning to him.

CM: Paul Pogba

Right - let's get it out of the way. It's no secret that Paul Pogba has wanted to leave United for some time now, and there's a chance that he still does. Though while the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus want him, this will not be a normal summer.

There were already question marks over whether either club could afford him before football ground to a halt, but given the current circumstance it's hard to see how either will pull a deal off.

Pogba effectively has two years left on his contract given United have an option to extend by a year, so the current opinion (I asked a few 90min employees and did a Twitter poll - it only lasted an hour, don't judge) is that he'll still be around whenever next season begins.

And what of Jack Grealish? Would United still fork out on him if Pogba stayed? It might be nice if they did, y'know - having creativity in depth would be very much welcome.

CM: Bruno Fernandes

Have you noticed how we've got to the eighth player in the team and there's not been a new signing plonked in yet?

Bruno Fernandes is the newest United first team signing, but what an impact he's made. As well as the goals and assists he's contributed to the team in the few games he's featured in since joining in January, it's the impact his personality has had on the team that might perhaps be the most noticeable thing.

Lining him up next to Paul Pogba in United's midfield is quite a prospect.

RW: Jadon Sancho

There's still a real sense of will-it-won't-it-happen about Jadon Sancho's transfer to Manchester United - or anywhere - this summer.

He's lit up German football since leaving rivals Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund in 2017, and loads of Europe's biggest clubs have sat up and taken notice. United are one of them, and while interest from the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool is known, Sancho is the player United in particular are dreaming about.

Coronavirus and the suspension of football means questions have been asked about whether United will go to the lengths they were once planning on to pull this deal off, given this one will likely be the most expensive of the summer if it happens, but Sancho remains their number one target.

It'll run for a while yet. But United have a better chance of signing Sancho now so many clubs are withdrawing from the market than they perhaps ever will.

What if Sancho ends up lighting up Euro 2021 and leads England to the title, while other clubs have had another year to get their houses in order? You'd bank on United not being at the head of the queue then if next season doesn't go so well.

If they can do it this summer, they have to do it. As it stands, United are still confident it'll happen.

LW: Marcus Rashford

It seems, after a few years of searching, that Marcus Rashford has finally found a role on the left wing to be his most natural fit in Manchester United red.

Injury to his back meant his campaign was cut short, but the game's suspension and likely resumption a couple of months later should mean Rashford is back fit and raring to go for United's remaining games.

If he can continue to excel in the role behind closed doors then expect United to keep picking Rashford out wide - though the great thing about this potential front three will be their ability to interchange positions.

ST: Anthony Martial

Pretty boring considering there's only one new signing to get an extended section here, right? Sorry guys, but United aren't going to go too wild before next season.

Anthony Martial has popped up with some important goals this term and is really making United's attack glue together more than perhaps a Zlatan Ibrahimovic might've done a few years back.

And while United do need another striker (Odion Ighalo is looking unlikely at the moment, Moussa Dembele has been most reported), it's not too likely that forward will come in and wrestle away Martial's place in the starting eleven.

There's great potential in this lot, if they can keep this team together.

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