No matter how many trophies Manchester United add to their vast collection this term, the squad still needs reinforcing in central midfield this summer.
Michael Carrick has shrugged off some early-season rustiness to become a consistent mainstay, Shinji Kagawa will improve and Tom Cleverley and Anderson both have the potential to become stars.
We kick things off with the current fan favourite and No. 1 candidate to join Manchester United this summer—Kevin Strootman.
The PSV box-to-box midfielder has the potential to be a star at Old Trafford due to his exceptional creativity for a player of his position and sharp defensive awareness and positioning.
A recent report in the British tabloid, Daily Mail, claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson may have to fight off Arsenal and Tottenham in the race for the £20 million man.
But there is naturally always going to be fierce competition in the chase for a player who seems to so ideally suit the nature of the British game.
Transfer rumours linking Manchester United with Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Gundogan have been rather thin on the ground in recent months, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't make an excellent signing.
The German creative midfielder is an technically exceptional player with an eye for the odd bit of crowd-rousing flair.
With Sebastian Kehl and Sven Bender also capable of playing in holding midfield, Gundogan has had to endure brief periods of sitting on the sidelines for Jurgen Klopp's side these past couple of seasons.
If Sir Alex could persuade the young manager to part with one of his gems, the 22-year-old may just thrive in the new surroundings of Old Trafford.
The Bender brothers—Sven plays for Borussia Dortmund, Lars for Bayer Leverkusen—are two of Germany's most revered young talents in the game today.
While both would make excellent signings for Sir Alex, it is the latter who has been more heavily linked with the Red Devils this season.
In October, a brief report in the Daily Mail claimed that "Manchester United are monitoring the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder," with a view to a summer transfer.
The 23-year-old is a versatile player with a tremendous work rate. He typically sits back for Bayer, dictating the tempo of a game with a penchant for the creative long pass.
In an interview with the Daily Record during the last transfer window, Victor Wanyama was keen to stress that anything is possible regarding his future come the end of the season.
"A lot has been said about my intended move but I have not given it much thought and even my manager feels I should play until the end of the season for Celtic," he said. "Then, from that point, the doors can be open for a move" (h/t Daily Mail).
The burly Kenyan box-to-box midfielder would tick all the boxes for Sir Alex, as well as be a relatively inexpensive signing.
The final player on the list is another physical force who has done plenty of damage to Sir Alex's side in the past.
Everton's Marouane Fellaini has been one of the stars of the Premier League season so far, dominating the middle of the pitch and scoring 10 goals in Britain's top division alone.
In January, the Manchester Evening News reported that the Red Devils were contemplating triggering a £22 million clause in the Belgian's contract with a view to a transfer (h/t The Mirror).
Though Fellaini has operated as a second forward for much of the current campaign, he has proven himself an excellent option in central midfield for the majority of his career.
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