Alexis Sanchez, Chicharito or Jamie Vardy - who's the best fit for Man United?

ALEXIS SANCHEZ

If it weren’t for the more recent rumours about the other two players, United’s interest in Sanchez would have been the surprise story of the window. He’s long been linked with a move to City, so much so that it seemed more or less a done deal.

But even given City’s 15-point lead at the top of the table, signing Sanchez now seems like a risk. It could upset the chemistry and balance of the team trying to integrate him, as that would require sacrificing one of Raheem Sterling or Leroy Sane. He’s also a player who dominates the ball, which would mean an uneasy settling in period alongside City’s pass masters, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva.

At United, there’s more of a need, and more of a likelihood that he’ll instantly make an impact. And while he hasn’t reached the form of previous years this season, of the three targets there’s no doubting he’s the best player. Vardy just about outscores him, with 0.45 goals per 90 minutes to 0.42 – but Sanchez is not a striker, making that small gap to one of the Premier League’s leading strikers a remarkable statistic in itself.

Unsurprisingly, he creates far more chances per 90 minutes – 2.99 to Chicharito’s 1.20 and Vardy’s 0.79 – and thus has more assists, making him a much more potent all-around attacking force.

Plus, in the ultimate test of a Mourinho attacker, Sanchez is on par or better than the two strikers defensively. He effects the most tackles per 90 out of the three, and makes his presence felt in his own half more often, with more blocks than Vardy and Chicharito. All three fit the Mourinho mould of being willing to put in the hard work but Sanchez does it best.

COMPATIBILITY RATING – 8/10

JAMIE VARDY

Vardy has shown that his hard-nosed mentality – not so different to Sanchez, who often plays like a street fighter – is backed by a store of willpower that helps him succeed at any level.

He’s scored nine league goals already this season, tied for eighth in the Premier League scoring charts. That’s only one less than Lukaku and nearly as many as Sanchez and Chicharito combined (11). He’s also the most accurate of the three options, scoring with 26% of his shots.

What that would mean at United is that Lukaku could get some rest without there being any drop off in goal threat. The two could also play together, which would be a nightmare for defences – both have a physical, bruising style but also a keen sense of movement.

The knock against Vardy is his age – at 31, he may not have more than two seasons left in him at this level. He’s also likely to be the most expensive of the three transfer targets, with Leicester having reportedly set his valuation at £35million.

In today’s market, that’s still fairly cheap for a striker of his quality, but with United certain to reinforce the squad again in the summer, is it worth spending that much on a player whose value will only dip as his career goes on?

COMPATIBILITY RATING – 6/10

CHICHARITO

Chicharito’s return to the Premier League hasn’t quite worked out with West Ham struggling to find any attacking fluidity earlier this season. Then, of course, David Moyes became the Hammers manager, a development that coincided with Chicharito suffering an injury.

Moyes was never sold on Chicharito when the two were at United, and it seems that impression has remained. The Mexican isn’t the best fit for the Scot’s style, especially with a striker like Andy Carroll available.

It’s no surprise that across most metrics, Chicharito comes in below Vardy and Sanchez. He’s only scored four league goals, and hasn’t bagged an assist yet. And unexpectedly for a player who’s made a name for himself as a goal poacher, he has the lowest shot accuracy – of himself, Vardy, Sanchez, and Lukaku, he’s the only player whose accuracy is lower than 50%.

Despite West Ham’s struggles, Chicharito creates more chances per 90 minutes (1.20) than both Vardy (0.79) and Lukaku (1.14). It’s much less than Sanchez’s 2.99, but then, the Chilean is more of a creator by nature anyway.

In Mourinho, he’ll have a manager who’s a known and vocal admirer of his abilities, which will do wonders for his confidence. There’s also his history at the club – he was a fan favourite at Old Trafford during his first spell, and he scored crucial goals to fire the club to two league titles during that time. Back in comfortable, familiar surroundings, with the love from fans washing over him and an appreciative manager, Chicharito could thrive.

But the biggest factor? West Ham may be willing to part with him for the same amount they spent in the summer – just £17million. A proven player who can lead the line on his own, play alongside Lukaku, or come off the bench, at that price, is a steal.

COMPATIBILITY RATING – 7/10