Make no mistake about it, transfer fees have spiralled out of control over the last five to ten years.
Of course, the money involved in football in that time has risen exponentially, but the level of inflation in the transfer market is clearly bordering upon being truly ridiculous when a young centre-back like John Stones can set you back as much as £50million.
Manchester United certainly can’t talk; they spent the most of any Premier League club last summer, shattering the world-record transfer fee on Paul Pogba in the process.
As we all know, the January window is always a difficult time to buy. The selling club can quite simply hold suitors to ransom as they look to wrap up a deal before the deadline, insisting they have no intention of selling mid-season.
But FootballFanCast firmly believe there are still fantastic bargains to be had in the beautiful game, even during the winter window. To prove our point, we’ve taken a look at THREE bargain signings Jose Mourinho should pick up this month.
Jose Fonte
Manchester United’s defensive troubles from earlier in season appear to have resolved somewhat in recent weeks, in no small part due to Phil Jones’ apparent re-emergence as a top-quality centre-back after overcoming a lack of fitness and form.
But Jose Mourinho still doesn’t seem overly convinced by the heart of his defence and one cut-price solution mooted in the summer was Southampton skipper Jose Fonte, following his European Championship heroics with Portugal.
He may not offer much longevity at the age of 33, but Fonte boasts a wealth of Premier League experience and has been organising Saints’ backline for years. He’d give the United squad a welcome boost in terms of defensive depth.
Perhaps most appealingly, the 20-cap international has just handed in a transfer request at St. Mary’s and with only 18 months remaining on his contract, the south coast outfit will likely have to part with him on the cheap.
Adrian
It may not be an immediate issue for Man United but Sergio Romero has never been the most dependable of deputies to David de Gea and Jose Mourinho doesn’t appear to have too much faith in him either, still calling upon his No.1 in the Europa League and League Cup this season.
West Ham’s Adrian represents an upgrade who has already proved himself in the Premier League, amassing over 100 appearances in the English top flight and playing a major role in the East London club’s seventh-placed finish last season.
Adrian’s current contract expires at the end of the season and although the club have the option to extend it by another two years, they may decline with Darren Randolph prising the Spaniard from the starting XI amid a bout of poor form – especially if United put some money on the table.
Sead Kolasinac
Jose Mourinho is still searching for his undisputed choice at left-back, with Daley Blind, Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian sharing the No.3 berth so far this season and none seemingly convincing the United boss enough to claim it long-term.
One cut-price solution comes in the form of Bundesliga high-flyer Sead Kolasinac, who has quickly earned a reputation as one of the more exciting youngsters in the division and is often tipped for a move to the Premier League.
The 23-year-old has been in fantastic form this season – albeit, his best performances coming as a left midfielder – with two goals and four assists in 12 league outings.
Much like Adrian, Kolasinac’s current terms are due to expire at the end of the campaign, which could pave the way for the Red Devils to snap him up at a bargain rate this January.