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How Manchester United could line up with Moussa Dembele

Amid reports that Manchester United have agreed a £62m deal for Moussa Dembele, Sports Mole looks at how they could line up with the French striker.

The transfer dealings of Manchester United continue to make headlines ahead of the upcoming window, with the coronavirus pandemic failing to prevent the rumour mill from linking the club to a host of players.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has warned that mega-money deals will not be commonplace, although United are still understood to want to sign a new winger, midfielder and centre-forward this summer.

Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish are thought to be their top targets in two of those areas, but it is the centre-forward position which has arguably produced the most speculation following a chaotic January dash for reinforcements which ended with them signing Odion Ighalo on loan.

Reports this week have suggested that United have found their man, agreeing a £62m deal for Lyon striker Moussa Dembele.

With that in mind, here Sports Mole looks at how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could line his side up with the addition of the 23-year-old.



MNU XI w/ MD

The addition of any new centre-forward is likely to raise questions over Anthony Martial's position.

The Frenchman has featured mainly through the middle this season and is thought to favour that role, but if the Red Devils do indeed part with more than £60m to bring in a specialist centre-forward like Dembele then he is likely to go straight into the starting lineup.

Martial, therefore, could be pushed out wide to the right, with Marcus Rashford a shoo-in for the XI and having enjoyed a productive campaign from the left so far.

Any deal to sign Sancho too would therefore cast more doubt over Martial's first-team hopes, although Solskjaer has also played with three at the back and two up front at times this season.

January arrival Bruno Fernandes has already established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet behind the striker, and his stats will no doubt excite a player like Dembele, who has scored 22 goals and created seven more this season.

Returns to form for Fred and Nemanja Matic provide more competition in midfield too, but if he stays at the club then Paul Pogba is a definite starter whereas Scott McTominay was one of United's better players this season until he too got injured.

Solskjaer seems to be set on most of his defensive unit as well, with the only question mark hanging over left-back as Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams battle for top spot in the pecking order.

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Borussia Dortmund attacker Jadon Sancho pictured in December 2019
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