The January transfer window is shaping up to be a time of transformation at Manchester United as Ralf Rangnick stamps his authority on the squad.
Wantaway forward Anthony Martial is edging closer to an exit while fringe players such as Benfica-linked Phil Jones could also be offloaded.
More exciting for fans is the prospect of new arrivals who can strengthen United’s bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League and a run in either the Champions League or FA Cup.
Fortunately for the Red Devils, they have one of the best in the business in their dugout when it comes to picking out talent.
Rangnick grew to mainstream fame during his time as RB Leipzig sporting director, while he spent two separate seasons as the club’s manager: the 2015/16 and 2018/19 campaigns.
(Image: Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Getty Images)
The German, 63, returned to the dugout in November to become United interim manager, and he is also expected to have a strong say in transfers as he will take on a two-year consultancy role at Old Trafford next summer.
As he finalises his plans for the January window, Mirror Football takes a look at what we can learn from the last five signings Rangnick made as a manager.
1. Emile Smith Rowe
(Image: @RBLeipzig_EN/Twitter)
Date: 31/01/19
Signed from: Arsenal
Fee: Loan fee of £900,000
Rather ironically, Rangnick’s final signing for Leipzig brought Smith Rowe – now one of the first names on the Arsenal teamsheet – to the Red Bull Arena on loan for the second half of the 2018/19 season.
At the time, the young playmaker had just a handful of senior appearances to his name and he arrived at Leipzig in search of valuable first-team experience in the Bundesliga.
However, a hamstring injury limited Smith Rowe’s involvement to just 28 minutes of action across three substitute appearances.
Perhaps more important than the outcome of the transfer was the method behind it, with Rangnick keen to add a playmaker capable of thriving in his 4-2-2-2 system.
“We’ve been watching the lad for several months,” Rangnick said of Smith Rowe at the time. “He adds a lot to our game, I think we suit his qualities as well, and he’s capable of playing in a number of attacking positions.”
The German’s quotes prove he values versatility, as he does not shy away from chopping and changing personnel in the attacking quartet.
2. Amadou Haidara
Date: 22/12/18
Signed from: Red Bull Salzburg
Fee: £17million
While Smith Rowe’s loan did not produce the desired effect, Haidara’s arrival earlier in the winter window that season proved a masterstroke by Rangnick.
The Malian arrived from sister club Salzburg and he has subsequently established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s finest up-and-coming midfielders.
Haidara, 23, epitomises what Rangnick wants from one of the two No.6s tasked with shielding the defence, while this position has proved troublesome for United throughout the current season.
The United interim manager remains unconvinced by Scott McTominay and Fred as his pairing and it is no surprise Haidara is heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in January.
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3. Tyler Adams
Date: 02/12/18
Signed from: New York Red Bulls
Fee: £2.4million
Haidara’s regular midfield partner was bought during the same transfer window and also arrived from a sister club, this time MLS outfit New York Red Bulls.
Adams, 22, has forged a promising, youthful pairing with his teammate and his performances are believed to have caught Arsenal’s attention.
Like Haidara, United States international Adams is highly-regarded by Rangnick, who even compared him to Bayern Munich and Germany star Joshua Kimmich earlier this year.
Rangnick only made three signings during his second stint in the Leipzig hot seat and all of them centred on improving the midfield, reaffirming just how important this area of the pitch is to his philosophy of high-pressing, intense football.
4. Marcel Halstenberg
(Image: Martin Rose/Getty Images)
Date: 31/08/15
Signed from: St. Pauli
Fee: £3million
The final signing of Rangnick’s first spell as Leipzig manager, Halstenberg is yet another success story of the Red Bull recruitment strategy.
On paper, there was not much to get excited about given the defender was arriving from St. Pauli, then Leipzig’s rival in the second-tier 2. Bundesliga, for a small transfer fee.
However, the club’s extensive scouting unearthed a gem and Halstenberg has gone on to make 185 appearances during his six-and-a-half years on their books.
Borussia Dortmund were reportedly keen on the 30-year-old this summer, but he suffered an injury while representing Germany at Euro 2020 and he is yet to make an appearance this season.
By signing Halstenberg, Rangnick yet again showed off his ability to identify a cut-price option to strengthen the first team. At United, however, he has the budget to pursue far-more established names from across Europe without the fear of bigger clubs poaching them further down the line.
5. Atinc Nukan
(Image: Karina Hessland/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Date: 01/07/15
Signed from: Besiktas
Fee: £5.4million
The penultimate signing of Ralf Rangnick’s first stint as Leipzig manager proved not every gamble pays off.
The German club looked to the Turkish Super Lig to strengthen their defence and decided to prise Nukan from Besiktas midway through the summer window of 2015.
However, Nukan never took to life with Leipzig and he made just nine starts in all competitions before returning to Besiktas on loan twice and eventually joining Goztepe at the expiry of his contract.
It was a brief and disappointing transfer episode, but Rangnick has rarely got it wrong in the market and this will do little to put off Old Trafford chiefs from backing him heavily.
Ralf Rangnick’s last 5 signings – and what they tell us about his Man Utd transfer plans
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