Alejandro Garnacho was linked with a transfer away from Manchester United in the January transfer window. (Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images). Manchester United will be watching the upcoming Champions League last-16 ties with a close eye. The Red Devils are levels below the standard of Europe’s prestigious club competition this season but that may mean nothing in the summer.. Ruben Amorim’s men are one of the favourites to win the Europa League this season and their prize would be a place in next season’s Champions League. However, the Red Devils are on course to record their worst-ever finish in the Premier League with the team currently sat 15th in the table.. Failure to qualify for Europe would be catastrophic for the finances of the club with the millions brought in from the competition key. For Amorim to succeed at Old Trafford, reinforcements are a necessity in the summer transfer window with the core group at his disposal struggling to impress.. Should United fail to qualify for any European competition, they may be forced to sell key assets to raise funds for the transfer kitty. In January, there was intense speculation around Alejandro Garnacho with Napoli failing with a bid and Chelsea showing interest.. The prospect of the Argentine forward leaving was far from a popular one among supporters and it’ll be a similar case in the summer. However, should a bid come in for £70million – a fee that United reportedly valued him at in January – then fans may be left frustrated.. Garnacho’s sale would count as pure profit due to him coming from the academy, something that would be a significant boost to the kitty. But the problem that Christopher Vivell will be faced with will be replacing him and giving Amorim a talented winger.. So, back to the original point made earlier and why United scouts will be watching the Champions League last 16. The draw was made on Friday and Premier League rivals Arsenal were handed a favourable tie against PSV Eindhoven.. The Dutch giants knocked out Juventus in dramatic fashion on Wednesday and will look to take that confidence to the north Londoners. One player who will be looking to make a mark on the Gunners is left-footed winger Johan Bakayoko.. Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy worked with Johan Bakayoko(Image: ANP). After emerging through the PSV academy and handed his first-team debut by Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Belgium international is on the brink of a big move to one of Europe’s major clubs. In the summer, he’s set to be in high-demand and United could do a lot worse than enquiring.. The two-legged tie against Arsenal is the perfect audition for the 21-year-old to show what he can do against one of the best teams in Europe. Bakayoko is a similar player to Garnacho in a sense that he plays off the right, aiming to use his left-foot to shoot or cross the ball.. Article continues below. A player like Bakayoko is the sort of profile United have to be looking at. Rivals and big clubs around Europe will have more money to spend, meaning acute recruitment is vital. Coming from PSV, Bakayoko may be a risk but if United do cash-in on Garnacho, a young and hungry talent like the Belgian would be more than ideal.
