Ralf Rangnick is ready to take over at Manchester United in an interim managerial role until the end of the current season. The German coach will have a lot of work to do following the Red Devils’ weak start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Rangnick will have a powerful squad to manage with Cristiano Ronaldo and company expecting to be guided towardswinning ways fast. United are already far from the Premier League top spot but there’s still a long way to go.
Meanwhile, they have already punched a ticket to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. However, the club’s hierarchy may feel like the team could use a boost in winter, so Rangnick would have£100 million ($133m) to spend, according to The Mirror. And the new coach could go after these three players come January:
Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig)
Amadou Haidara. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Rangnick would target a number of players who have ties with him from his time as Sporting Director at RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig. Amadou Haidara is believed to be one of them, as the 23-year-old midfielder could provide an upgrade in the middle of the park. Haidara joined the Bundesliga side from Salzburg in 2019 for €19m ($21m). He has scored three times in17 appearances this season.
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
Christopher Nkunku. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Another player who Rangnick knows very well from his time at Leipzig, Christopher Nkunku has had a sensational breakout at the German club after emerging from PSG‘s academy. If United were to make a move for the24-year-old they might need to make a splash, as Nkunku amassed 13 goals in 20 appearances this term.
Timo Werner (Chelsea)
Timo Werner. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Another familiar face for Rangnick as the German striker has also been part of RB Leipzig before Chelsea acquired him for €53m ($59m) in the summer of 2020. Timo Werner has struggled to adjust to life in London andhas been linked to other teams recently. Needless to say, this would be a shocking move, which doesn’t lookeasy either.
The report adds one more name to the list: Erling Haaland. It’s no secret that the Borussia Dortmund goalscoring machine is arguably the most coveted striker on the planet and United are one of his admirers.
Unlike the previous candidates, Rangnick reportedly eyes him fornextsummer, when a £63m ($83m) release clause would be activated on the Norwegian’scontract. Of course, it won’t be an easy battle but Rangnick’s friendship with Haaland’s father Alf-Inge could play an important part in thenegotations.
