Six Jack Grealish transfer alternatives Manchester United could consider

United are on the lookout for a forward-thinking midfielder, but who could they target in the upcoming transfer window?

In normal circumstances, attention would have now been turning to the summer transfer window in the Premier League as clubs move to strengthen their squads ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

However, the suspension of fixtures due to the coronavirus pandemic means that there has been a delay while work is being done to get the season restarted and finished.

That though doesn’t mean that there has been a lack of talk as to who Manchester United could bring to Old Trafford once fixtures are complete and the window opens.

Two names who are under consideration by United are Leicester City’s James Maddison and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, with both players catching the eye of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his backroom staff with their performances this season.

Both players have scored nine goals in all competitions for their clubs this term. The MEN understands United are prioritising Grealish over Maddison as they believe the latter is likely to sign a new contract at Leicester.

Regardless of who United go for out of the two, they are going to have to spend big money to bring them in, so we've taken a look at a few alternative options the club could consider.

Emiliano Buendia

Club: Norwich City

Like both Maddison and Grealish, the 23-year-old has impressed in the Premier League this season despite Norwich’s league position.

Although he has failed to find the back of the net this campaign, he has provided seven assists for his teammates. Although he has mainly been used on the wing by the Canaries, his versatility means that he would be able to play in the number 10 position.

Norwich are currently bottom of the table, meaning that Buendia could be available for a cut-price fee should they fail to stave off likely relegation.

Philippe Coutinho

Club: Barcelona

Coutinho could be making his way back to the Premier League, if latest rumours are to be believed, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Leicester and Newcastle among the teams linked with the Brazilian.

The 27-year-old looks to be on the way out of Barcelona after spending this season on loan at Bayern Munich. With the German side not taking up the permanent option in his loan deal, Coutinho could be available for significantly lower than the £142million Barca paid for him in January 2018.

Coutinho's Liverpool connections, though, make it highly unlikely that he would move to Old Trafford.

Isco

Club: Real Madrid

The Spanish international was regarded as one of the best players in Spanish football, but has seen his form dip in the last couple of season, although he was returning to some sort of form before the suspension of fixtures.

Despite this, reports earlier in the season suggested that Real were ready to include the 28-year-old in potential swap deals for players, meaning that the midfielder could be available should United deem him a suitable target. With Martin Odegaard still on Madrid's books, Isco could soon be surplus to requirements.

Kai Havertz

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

The return of the Bundesliga means that the eyes of the world are on the league and Havertz has not failed to impress.

In the three games back since the suspension, the 20-year-old has scored four goals from midfield - although he was on the losing side against Wolfsburg on Tuesday night.

He would be the most expensive player on this list, though, so if United are looking to cut costs this summer, they'll have to look elsewhere.

Jonathan Ikone

Club: Lille

The 22-year-old’s reputation has continued to rise throughout the season as he has impressed for the French side. Ikone has scored four goals and provided seven assists for Lyon this season as well as making an instant impact on his international debut for France, scoring in a 4-1 win over Albania.

United have been tentatively linked with the youngster but he's not a player who has come up on the MEN's radar as of yet.

Christopher Nkunku

Club: RB Leipzig

The midfielder has made an instant impact in Germany since signing from Paris Saint-Germain last summer. He has provided 15 assists in all competitions for his teammates so far this season as well as scoring four goals.

However, with him still having four years remaining on his contract it would be hard to complete a deal that will see the 22-year-old move from RB Leipzig anytime soon.