Mina, Magiure, Boateng or Alderweireld - who should Manchester United sign?

Make no mistake about it, Jose Mourinho is far from content at Manchester United. The 55-year-old has even admitted so himself, lamenting a quiet summer since the arrival of Fred 45 days ago. Ed Woodward has known Mourinho’s targets for over a month and now the United CEO is desperately scrambling to get at least one new face through the door before Thursday’s deadline.

United seem to have abandoned their pursuit of a new attacker to focus entirely on signing another centre-back, with four names heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. We assess United’s reported four-man shortlist:

1. Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)

United tried to broker a £55m deal for Alderweireld in May but negotiations with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy have unsurprisingly dragged to the final few days of the window. The Belgian has 12 months left to run on his contract and is keen to leave after failing to agree new terms midway through last season. 

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino demoted the 29-year-old as a result, but Alderweireld offered a timely reminder of his class at the 2018 World Cup. His calming presence would help improve a United defence that is easily flustered in a similar way Liverpool benefitted from Virgil Van Dijk’s arrival at the start of the year.

Not only that, but Alderweireld’s long-range passing would prove a real asset to the Red Devils. It's too often been the case that United's offensive players are forced to come short to get on the ball and Alderweireld's vision and class would change that. Marcus Rashford has often cut a frustrated figure after making an intelligent run in behind, only for one of his team-mates to pass the ball sideways. After averaging more accurate long balls per game than any other Premier League outfielder last term (7.9), Alderweireld is more than capable of adding a new dimension tot United’s attack and releasing players like Rashford over the top.

2. Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)

The latest reports doing the rounds are that United have entered negotiations with Bayern Munich for the transfer of Jerome Boateng. The two sides met in a pre-season friendly on Sunday and United have used that opportunity to sound out Boateng before Thursday’s deadline.

Mourinho is a long-term admirer of Boateng and he is arguably the most accessible option of the four players United are currently interested in. The Germany international is deemed surplus to requirements to Bayern and the Bundesliga giants have offered the former Manchester City defender to their continental rivals all summer.

Boateng is physically imposing and certainly meets Mourinho’s ideal criteria in a centre-back, but there are some red flags that should have already triggered alarm bells at United. Boateng was once regarded one of the best centre-backs in Europe, but that simply isn’t the case anymore. When the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern sell players, there is usually a reason and, with the exception of Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, it’s not down to the player orchestrating a transfer away.

United found that out with Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2015 and surely wouldn’t make the same mistake twice? Boateng has only started 46 of Bayern’s last 102 league matches and his poor performances at the 2018 World Cup has done little to suggest his best performances are around the corner.

3. Harry Maguire (Leicester)

United appeared set on prising Harry Maguire away from Leicester following his impressive showings at the 2018 World Cup but, for one reason or another, those reports have gone cold. Maguire only joined Leicester in a £17m deal last summer and figures in the region of £65m have been quoted for United 12 months on.

Maguire would have cost a fraction of that price before the World Cup and it is always a gamble signing players off the back of good displays at major tournaments. The 25-year-old was a revelation for England this summer but his performances should be put into context.

He was immense against teams like Panama, Tunisia and Sweden but didn’t have anywhere near the same impact against Croatia and Belgium, the only good sides England played against in Russia. Should that warrant United making him one of the most expensive defenders of all-time? Absolutely not.

Maguire’s aerial threat from attacking set-pieces was his main contribution to England’s World Cup campaign, not his defending. For someone of his build, he is impressively capable as a ball-playing centre-back but would Maguire help shore up United’s defensive shortcomings? For the money required to sign him from Leicester there are better options.

4. Yerry Mina (Barcelona)

If money is the issue for United, which is shouldn’t be, then Yerry Mina would certainly be the best option for Mourinho’s side. The Colombia international, like Maguire, had a great World Cup, but is reportedly available for less than half the money Leicester are demanding for Maguire.

Mina only joined Barcelona in January but is already free to leave the Spanish champions after failing to make any impression on head coach Ernesto Valverde. This has only be emphasised further by the arrival of Clement Lenglet and the 23-year-old will need to find a new club if he wants game time next term.

Reports emerged over the weekend suggesting United were on the verge of signing Mina, only for a deal to collapse due to a last minute change of demands from the player’s agent. United aren’t interested in being held to ransom and have moved Mina down their list of priorities as a result.

Like Maguire, Mina was a real handful in the opposition penalty area at the 2018 World Cup, scoring in each of his three appearances. His defending can, however, be a little erratic at the times and it’s debatable whether that is needed at Old Trafford when their current options can also be haphazard in their approach to defending.

Verdict: Toby Alderweireld

While Mourinho has been criticised for targeting older players during his time at United, an experienced centre-back is exactly what United need. The Red Devils kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League last season (18) but that was mainly down to David De Gea’s heroics, rather than a well-drilled and organised defence.

With all things considered, Alderweireld is certainly the best option available to United and a deal Woodward should be doing everything within his remit to get over the line. Who knows, perhaps the United chief is using interest in Boateng, Mina and Maguire to flush out Tottenham and drive down their ludicrous asking price. It would be a smart play by Woodward, but time is running out to appease and increasingly agitated Mourinho.