Manchester United could complete a double whammy for Croatian World Cup stars Josip Juranovic and Dominik Livakovic. The Red Devils were reportedly offered Livakovic in the summer before opting to sign Martin Dubravka on loan from Newcastle United.
His heroic displays as a goalkeeper are said to have renewed interest from United, with Croatian outlet Sportske claiming that Livakovic would be available for much less than the club’s other potential targets, somewhere below the €25m mark. .
With David de Gea’s contract due to expire in the summer, along with Tom Heaton’s, United are in dire need of reinforcements between the sticks.
That problem is compounded by the end of Martin Dubravka’s loan and the likelihood of Dean Henderson seeking a permanent transfer at the end of the current season.
And Dubravka’s shaky performance against Burnley yesterday could even speed up plans to strengthen the position.
The Newcastle United goalkeeper was brought in to be genuine competition for De Gea, but based on Dubravka’s first start, the Spaniard really has nothing to worry about in terms of his starting job.
As for Juranovic, the Celtic defender could be available for just €20m.
United have struggled at right-back this season, with only Diogo Dalot trusted in the role by Erik ten Hag.
The Portugal star is now injured, giving Aaron Wan-Bissaka a rare opportunity to impress, an opportunity the former Crystal Palace full-back seized with both hands against Burnley last night.
He provided an assist and seemed much more willing to support his teammates in possession, which may well lessen United’s need to go to the market for a new right-back.
However, it remains to be seen whether Wan-Bissaka has increased his chances of a future at United or simply turned in an impressive showcase performance.
West Ham’s interest remains, and with the player playing just four competitive minutes under Ten Hag before his start yesterday, a January transfer cannot be ruled out.
If the right-back were to end up leaving the club in January, the Red Devils could do much worse than replace him with Juranovic, who was one of the best players ever to play at the World Cup.
A double whammy for the Croatian pair could be on the cards during the winter window, depending on how Man United’s outings pan out.
