But, with the board yet to confirm Solskjaer’s actual appointment as full-time manager, we could be seeing another enter the fray soon. However, it’s the squad itself which has caused the club the most issues; whether it be egos or despondency, United’s team have flourished and faltered far too much this season. Next season they’ll need to be consistent if they want success.

On that note, here are six Serie A players that United have either been linked with or could do with having in their squad next season.

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#6 Douglas Costa (Juventus)

Douglas Costa is a 28-year-old right winger who currently plays for Juventus in Serie A. He has also represented Brazil’s national team, having made 31 appearances since his debut in November 2014.

Despite his brilliance on the ball, Costa has only been used sparingly by Massimiliano Allegri this season. Injury and suspension have also been to blame for his lack of matches, but when he does make the side, the focus isn’t on him, and he tends to be taken off not long after the second half – anyone can see that this is a waste of his ability.

At a team like Man United, his speed and agility would come in very handy on the offensive, especially with players like Rashford and Lukaku in the centre to latch onto the end of his balls into the box.

Costa has a market value of around £40m, but United should expect to pay closer to £50m if they want to pry him away from Turin this summer.

#5 Davide Calabria (AC Milan)

Davide Calabria is a 22-year-old right back who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He has represented Italy at U21 level a total of 18 times, but is yet to make his debut for the senior team.

Although Diego Dalot has started to replace Antonio Valencia in the right-back role at United, Calabria is arguably better suited to that position. And with Dalot having been pushed up to a right midfielder role, space is open for Calabria to slot into, should United get his signature this summer.

Calabria has featured in 22 matches for Milan so far this season, netting a goal and an assist in the process. His pinpoint passing and ability to pick out a cross is what separates him from the rest challenging for his position. I don’t doubt that in a few years, Calabria will be well on his way to becoming one of the best in the role.

With him being so young right now, Calabria’s price tag is only estimated to be around £20m, but for a team to sign him, Milan will likely want to double it, as they know his worth right now, and what he could become later on down the line.

#4 Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan)

Ivan Perisic is a 30-year-old left winger who currently plays for Inter Milan in Serie A. He has also represented Croatia a total of 78 times since his debut in March 2011.

Perisic has only really started to ascend towards his peak in recent years, despite the fact he’s so late into his career. At Borussia Dortmund, he showed hints of what he could become, but ultimately failed to make much of an impact and was sold to Wolfsburg for £7m.

It was a similar story at Wolfsburg to begin with, before suddenly becoming more consistent and well-rounded on the pitch. As a result, his value soared and Wolfsburg made a tidy profit of around £10m when they sold him to his current team, Inter, for £17m.

With a market value now of around £30m, it’s safe to say that Perisic has blossomed into a great footballer. A blend of experience and his ability to keep fit have kept him in good stead and meant that he retains his position in the Inter first team, despite rife competition.

What Perisic could bring to United is his experience and level-headedness on the ball, which would work well in contrast with the giddiness often seen in some of their younger players. There has to be an authoritative figure out on the pitch, and Perisic could be just that.

#3 Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan)

Alessio Romagnoli is a 24-year-old centre-back who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He has represented Italy’s national team on eight occasions, having made his debut in October 2016.

Romagnoli spent much of his early career with Roma, progressing through their youth set-up before eventually being sold to Milan for £22m in 2015. For some players, the pressure of being transferred for that amount of money would break them down slightly, but that certainly hasn’t happened in Romagnoli’s case, if anything, he’s gotten even better.

Romagnoli now has a market value of around £45m and with potential like his, United could possibly have to splash out double that to convince Milan to sell him. Whilst a club the size of Manchester United could afford this fee, it would still come with a great deal of risk for a player who has never played in the Premier League before.

#2 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

Kalidou Koulibaly is a 27-year-old centre-back who currently plays for Napoli in Serie A. While he began playing for France’s U20 side back in 2011, he eventually opted to play for Senegal instead, having played 31 games since making his first team debut back in September 2015.

Koulibaly has been linked to a plethora of top clubs over the past few transfer windows, but with him now in the middle of his peak years, a team that wants him must make this summer the time to sign him, before it’s too late.

Imagine the impact a player like Koulibaly would have on United’s defence; there would certainly be no more worry insofar as who might play alongside Lindelof in the centre-back role. Another strong pairing would be Koulibaly and Bailly at the back, as the strength that the pair possess would be no match for any strikers in the Premier League.

However, what could throw this potential transfer into major doubt is Koulibaly’s exorbitant price tag of around £90m. The transfer window might be inflated these days, but to splash out almost £100m on a single player carries a lot of risks, which is perhaps why no other top side has made a bid for him yet.

#1 Kostas Manolas (AS Roma)

Kostas Manolas is a 27-year-old centre-back who currently plays for AS Roma in Serie A. He has also featured for Greece’s national side a total of 39 times since his debut in February 2013.

Manolas spent the first portion of his career in the shadows as he wasn’t making any sort of waves until mid-way through his time with Greek side Olympiacos. His consistent string of top-notch performances earned him a move to Roma in the summer of 2014 for a fee of around £13.5m.

His market value has now tripled in the five years since, but for a club to convince Roma to sell him, it would probably cost them nearer to £60m. Manolas is a key player for Roma, though he has missed a fair few games this season due to injury. Even now, he is sidelined with a disrupted calf muscle but is expected to return later this month, so he will be fit in time for the summer.

If United somehow managed to sign both Manolas and Kouliably, their defence would immediately become a great deal stronger than it currently is. Critics and fans alike have said for a while now that United’s defence is what brings them the most trouble. Well, if they can secure signings like these, their problems might just disappear.

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