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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Jacob Leeks

How Ralf Rangnick's 6 transfer targets Man Utd board turned down have fared since

Ralf Rangnick's reign at Manchester United may have been much different had club chiefs successfully bought six transfer targets the German made ahead of the January window.

"There was no such [transfer] dossier, and it was never wanted by the club. But even without such a script, it was clear to everyone that there was a need in many areas. But the club decided at that time to rebuild the team under the new coach," Rangnick told BILD of his plans.

United failed to follow through with the German's demands though, with no new arrivals coming into Old Trafford. Here, Mirror Football looks at how the six targets Rangnick had have fared since the German was denied.

Josko Gvardiol

Croatian international Josko Gvardiol had only been at RB Leipzig for a matter of months when Rangnick added him to his list of targets. The centre-back quickly settled into life in Leipzig and was a regular starter last season.

He helped them to win the DFB-Pokal, the club's first-ever major trophy, and has continued to be a regular this term. Gvardiol was one of the nominees for this year's Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or.

The 20-year-old finished sixth after the voting for the award, having attracted interest from Chelsea in the summer. But in September, he committed his future to Leipzig, signings a new five-year deal.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should be Manchester United's top target in the January transfer window? Comment below.

Christopher Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku looks set to join Chelsea, a year after being eyed by Rangnick (Getty Images)

It is no surprise that Rangnick looked to his former club for some of his targets, with Christopher Nkunku one of the biggest talents in Europe. The Frenchman scored 35 goals in all competitions last season, as Leipzig won the DFB-Pokal.

That form saw him named the Bundesliga Player of the Season and he has started the current campaign in impressive fashion, notching 12 goals already. He is now being heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, with the Blues thought to be close to completing a deal.

Alvaro Morata

Alvaro Morata has struggled at Atletico Madrid since returning in the summer (Getty Images)

Alvaro Morata had scored just eight goals in all competitions by the time the January window opened. He remaining on loan at Juventus for the remainder of the season, but was forced to return to Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Juve had tried to buy him but were unable to agree a fee with Atletico, ensuring he returned to Madrid. Since then he has featured regularly for Diego Simeone's men, scoring five goals in what has been a disappointing campaign for the La Liga side.

Luis Diaz

United missed out on the signing of the January transfer window by failing to move for Luis Diaz (Getty Images)

Arguably the signing of the January transfer window, United's inaction saw Luis Diaz join Liverpool instead. The Colombian immediately impressed, helping the Reds to win the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, as well as scoring six goals.

He had started this season in a similar vein, scoring four goals and assisting three more. But he suffered a knee injury Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal, which has ruled him out until after the World Cup.

Dusan Vlahovic

Dusan Vlahovic joined Juventus, rather than move to the Premier League (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Arsenal joined Rangnick in chasing a move for Serbian international Dusan Vlahovic in the January window. He had been starring for Fiorentina, scoring 20 goals in the first 24 games of the season.

But both Premier League clubs were beaten to his signature by Juventus, who paid £70million to bring him to Turin. He has been a regular scorer this season, firing in six times in 10 Serie A games, though Juve have been mostly disappointing.

Erling Haaland

Arguably the most ambitious of Rangnick's targets was Erling Haaland, who has been widely regarded as the best striker in Europe for some time. He remained at Borussia Dortmund for the final six months of last season, though it was an injury-hit campaign for the Norwegian.

Haaland then joined Premier League champions Manchester City in the summer in a £51million transfer deal. He has since enjoyed astonishing success at City and has already scored 17 goals in the top-flight after just 11 games.

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