Danny Rose should be United’s next left-back, but they’ll have to be patient to get him

With less than a month away from the January transfer window, rumors have been floating for several potential Manchester United moves such as Antoine Griezmann and Danny Rose. As exciting as it would be to acquire another big-name goal scoring talent like Griezmann from Atlético Madrid, United’s focus should not be on a striker, but rather a long-term option at left back.

With the £76.23m signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton in July, it is clear that United have faith and trust up top in the promising Belgian international for the foreseeable future. The recent re-signing of Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović also provides José Mourinho with another world class striking option. That being said, it is not the time to be spending a speculated £100m on the French forward, when the focus needs to be on acquiring a suitable, and promising, left back for the future of Manchester United.

Danny Rose is the clear front-runner to become United’s next left back. However, it does not have to be a rush for the January window. It might be more of a better possibility to acquire him after the season ends, when the summer window approaches.

Let me explain. Luke Shaw is still not close to consistency among United’s starting lineup. Continuous injury problems have sidelined Shaw for the past few years. Of course, he has potential, and is a promising young talent in the Premier league, but what good is he if he is not a consistent name on the team sheet?

With Shaw’s absence, United have had to constantly reshuffle their defense to cope with the need of a consistent left back. Players like Ashley Young have stepped up big recently with goals and creative attacking play from the wingback position. Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind have been able to fill the position and hold their ground just fine defensively, while still offering an attacking presence.

Having three great options at left back right now going into the January transfer window does not scream out to me as an “emergency.” However, it does scream out “patience.” The right deal for the right price for Danny Rose will not be this January. Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy knows that United will pay higher than the market value for Danny Rose this January given José Mourinho’s quest to find a long-term option at left back. Mourinho should take this opportunity to wait until the summer window, while utilizing Young, Darmian, and Blind for the remainder of the season.

Ashley Young fits into the attacking style of play that United have been playing under Mourinho, and for the time being, he should be the ideal left back until a better transfer value for Danny Rose arises during the next summer window. Estimated speculations for the acquisition of the Englishman, Danny Rose, are currently around £55m, and although United are not one to shy away from big money transfers, they should patiently wait out the remainder of the season until making an offer for the Spurs left back.

Not only is waiting until the summer transfer window more financially beneficial for United, but it also is a show of power for Mourinho to his team, and the rest of the Premier league. Sticking with Young, Darmian, and Blind at the left back position for the short-term future will give the United players confidence and the ability to enhance the system that is currently in place. Mourinho can assert that there is nothing wrong with his defense by believing in the players he already has to work with.