Returning to Europe's top competition would give Ruben Amorim an extra £100m to work with, as well as raising the calibre of player he could target
Just a few weeks ago, Manchester United were preparing themselves for having no European football for the first time in a decade, wondering how they would fill their weeks between Premier League games. But now, they are just a couple of steps away from sneaking back into the Champions League despite their worst domestic season in 51 years.
The Red Devils have one foot in the Europa League final after their brilliant 3-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao, and even considering their capacity for disaster, they should be able to navigate their way through Thursday's second leg and make it to the final. Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt would await them at San Mames, where they would be one win from dining at European football's top table once more.
Winning the Europa League, then, is about far more than one glorious evening in Bilbao; it is about playing in the biggest club competition, the one that every player wants to appear in. And that means that United will suddenly be able to attract a higher calibre of player than they would were they only offering potential targets Premier League football and their storied history. And just as crucially, they will be able to afford the elite players that would previously have been out of their reach.
As Ruben Amorim put it last month: "The Champions League can change everything. If you are in the Champions League, you play top teams on a Wednesday and at the weekend. This is the best thing. If you have Champions League, you know you have a better budget to put forward a different team next season."
United will be refreshing their squad in the summer even if they are left with no European football and they are believed to be close to signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves. But if they play their cards right, then many more names that they had previously dismissed as being beyond their grasp would suddenly be within reach.
GOAL takes a look at the players United will suddenly be in the market for if they win the Europa League and seal their ticket back to the Champions League…
Getty ImagesViktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres turned into one of the most lethal forwards in Europe under Amorim's guidance at Sporting CP, and he has continued to score goals for fun since the Portuguese left for United, as the Sweden international has netted 52 times in all competitions this season with three games to go. Naturally, Gyokeres has been seen as a dream signing for the coach at Old Trafford, particularly given Rasmus Hojlund's struggles and the Dane's measly return of nine goals this season, just four of which have come in the Premier League.
However, Gyokeres' €100 million (£85m/$113m) buy-out clause seemed to put him out of United's reach, with Arsenal instead leading the race to sign him. Champions League football would also be a must for a striker who has only recently played in Europe's top competition for the first time and thrived in it, bagging a hat-trick against Manchester City in November.
So if United can clinch Champions League football then the Red Devils would be considerably more attractive to Gyokeres. And who better to lead the line for Amorim than the man who fired him to the Portuguese title and helped make him such a coveted coach in the first place?
AdvertisementGettyLiam Delap
Only two English players have scored more Premier League goals than Liam Delap this season – Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins – and neither play for a team like Ipswich Town, who have been fighting relegation from day one. Delap has the physical prowess that matches the demands of the Premier League and could achieve great things at a top-six club. He is also relatively cheap compared to other players of his ilk, available for £30m ($40m) and therefore affordable for United regardless of whether they get into the Champions League.
But Europe's top competition is believed to be a huge draw for Delap and one of the reasons it has been reported that he would prefer a move to Chelsea over United. But if the Red Devils are playing in the Champions League after all then it becomes a much tighter race to sign him.
Chelsea, of course, are far from assured of a top-five finish in the Premier League this season, and should the Blues miss out on Champions League football, Delap's best chance of testing himself against the continent's best defences would be to move to United.
(C)Getty ImagesRonald Araujo
Until last season, Ronald Araujo was seen as the leader of Barcelona's defence for many years to come. But the emergence of Pau Cubarsi from La Masia, coupled with the the reliability shown by Inigo Martinez has threatened the Uruguayan's place in Hansi Flick's line-up, and Araujo is thus beginning to consider a move away from Catalunya to ensure he is not consigned to being a bit-part player.
Signing Araujo would be a huge coup for United given their defensive struggles, although the centre-back is wary of the fact that leaving Barca for the Red Devils could be a huge step down, especially as the Catalans are closing in on winning La Liga and reached the Champions League semi-finals this season.
However, if United are back in the Champions League and have the financial capacity to keep on growing and further boosting their squad, then Old Trafford suddenly becomes a far more attractive destination for Araujo to consider.
Getty Images SportJonathan Tah
With United low on cash and cutting costs at every corner, they have naturally taken a keen interest in one of the top defenders in the world who is running down his contract will be available on a free transfer this summer. Jonathan Tah – described by Arne Slot as "the best defender in Germany" – underpinned Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten season and Bundesliga title win last year, and has already been linked with Barcelona as he prepares to depart the BayArena.
Barca's struggles to register new players due to their deep financial problems is, however, believed to be a stumbling block to the move, and United would be well-placed to step in and hijack the move – as long as they win the Europa League.
The Germany international will have plenty of other suitors this summer, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and United might end up losing out to those two giants in the end. But to stand a chance of winning the tug-of-war they simply have to be able to offer Tah Champions League football.
