Manchester United Transfers: Top 5 Alternatives to Nani on the Wing

Some Manchester United fans have given up on Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha, the man more commonly known as Nani.

They’ve grown weary of his inconsistency, petulance and selfishness, and are fed up of waiting for him to mature into the new Cristiano Ronaldo, believing that Sir Alex Ferguson should just cut his losses and sell him.

There is no doubting the Portuguese starlet’s ability though. On his day, Nani can glide past any player in the world, and Ferguson knows that getting rid of him would be a huge risk.

If he does go, though, here are the top five alternatives to Nani on the Manchester United wing.

It’s pretty easy for me to state that adding arguably the best player in the Premier League this season to the runaway leaders of said division makes perfect sense.

But Gareth Bale’s addition would not only allow United to prosper on the domestic stage, but also in Europe too.

During his solitary Champions League season with Tottenham, the Welsh wizard proved that he has the guile and skill to mix it with the European elite, and since then he has matured into a more complete player too.

United’s pursuit of Bale makes perfect sense, though, as they are crying out for a quality left-footed left-winger.

Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Nani and Wilfred Zaha are each predominantly right-footed and constantly have to cut back inside when they are placed in that position.

Bale wouldn’t be reduced to such necessities, and seeing him soar down that flank would remind Old Trafford veterans of Ryan Giggs in his pomp.

Once again, you hardly have to be a genius to figure out that repurchasing Cristiano Ronaldo would be a good idea for Manchester United

The Real Madrid forward/winger has scored more than a goal a game for the Spaniards, and if it weren’t for a certain diminutive Argentinian, he would easily be lauded as the best player of his generation.

Instead, Ronaldo’s time in the Spanish capital has begun to sour, and a public hissy fit earlier this season, Madrid’s failure to challenge Barcelona in La Liga and Jose Mourinho’s almost certain departure have combined to leave the Portuguese star nonplussed.

An emotional return, as well as Ferguson’s eulogizing of him, brought Ronaldo close to tears when he returned to Old Trafford in March, and it would have had him reminiscing about his times in red.

Money might prove to be a stumbling block, as might Ronaldo’s ambition to reassert Madrid’s dominance in Spain, but Ferguson would take him back in a heartbeat. 

Real Madrid’s classy winger has had an indifferent campaign at the Bernabeu, to the point that the Daily Mirror has even alleged that the Spaniards have sounded out possible clubs to purchase him. United and Paris Saint-Germain are thought to be his options.

Bought for £30 million, Angel di Maria would probably cost United around that sum, and at 25 he still has time to hone and perfect his craft.

Di Maria’s clinical finishing, pace and skill have helped to turn Madrid into a stunning counterattacking team, and so far in this season’s Champions League, he has acquired more assists than any other player.

That hasn’t stopped Mourinho from withdrawing him at half-time during several La Liga games though, as Madrid’s title defence spluttered to an embarrassing halt before Christmas.

But with 16 goals and 34 assists in his first two seasons in Spain, there is no doubting his quality, and his game continues to evolve as he grows older too.

One of the most coveted players in the world at the moment, James Rodriguez has helped Porto to remain unbeaten in the Primeira Liga so far this season, with eight goals and nine assists.

However, recently he voiced his indignation at having been benched for several games, and now the Daily Mail has reported that United are currently weighing up a £36 million offer for the Colombian.

At 21, Rodriguez has the potential to grow into one of the best players in the world, and those in the know have already begun to compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Has the answer to United’s left-winger quandary been before us the whole time?

Shinji Kagawa’s guile, creativity and vision have already been lapped up by the United faithful, and whilst it would appear that his best position lies behind the main striker to whom he can thread his inch-perfect passes, the Japanese international has the adeptness to fill the void in any attacking berth.

Kagawa could be deployed on the left wing in the same fashion that David Silva has been used by Roberto Mancini for Manchester City on the right.

This would allow Kagawa to cut inside as other players deviate around him, and the midfielder’s eagle-eyed prowess would easily be able to locate the right attacking pass.

This would also allow Kagawa and Wayne Rooney to seamlessly slalom between positions, thus causing opposition defenders a headache that they could easily mistake for an aneurysm.