Manchester United’s loss to Swansea on opening day proved that the club are in dire need of extra reinforcements. With less than two weeks left until the close of the transfer window, Louis van Gaal may need to stray away from his big money targets and make appropriate moves for more realistic candidates.

After a summer-long attempt to lure both Arturo Vidal and Mats Hummels to United, it looks highly unlikely that the deal will go through, leaving the Red Devils very exposed at the back. It seems that replacing both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in one window is even harder than first expected.

So, with that in mind, here are FIVE POSSIBLE defensive candidates to shore up Manchester United.

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Daley Blind

Blind

Name: Daley Blind

Age: 24

Position: Defensive Midfield / Centre back / Left Wing Back

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: Ajax

Price: £12 - £15 million

If Louis van Gaal decides to sign one player, he would definitely pick Daley Blind because he can play in all the positions Manchester United are currently lacking. He can serve as a holding midfielder or a central defender, and even as a left wing back to complete the desired 3-5-2 formation.

Having already worked under Van Gaal at the World Cup for the Dutch national squad, he will already be used to the formation, the strategy, and also the mentality the United manager is after. A move could still be a possibility should his £15 million asking price be met.

Daniel Agger

Agger

Name: Daniel Agger

Age: 29

Position: Centre Back

Nationality: Denmark

Club: Liverpool

Price: £10 - £15 million

This potential could come down to the final day mainly because Manchester United may want to keep things quiet over signing a Liverpool player. Daniel Agger has had his ups and downs at Anfield throughout the years, but with the recent addition of Dejan Lovren, it is highly unlikely that he can retain his first team place this season.

Louis van Gaal could face a similar problem to when Arsene Wenger refused to sell Thomas Vermaelen to United, opting to let his former captain join Barcelona instead. With a number of clubs outside England interested in his services, the Red Devils need to prepare a well-though offer.

Alex Song

Song

Name: Alex Song

Age: 26

Position: Defensive Midfield

Nationality: Cameroon

Club: Barcelona

Price: £8 - £12 million

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has revealed that he doesn’t see Alex Song fitting into his plans for the upcoming season meaning Manchester United can snap him up for a cut-price deal. With very limited playing time, a switch to Old Trafford could see him easily return to a place in the starting 11.

The chase for Arturo Vidal is beginning to frustrate the fans and Louis van Gaal may need to consider the Cameroonian star as an alternative. He was in sensational form for Arsenal before his Barcelona move, so a return to Premier League football would surely benefit him.

Philippe Mexes

Mexes

Name: Philippe Mexes

Age: 32

Position: Centre Back

Nationality: France

Club: AC Milan

Price: £3 - £5 million

The match against Swansea saw Manchester United without any experienced senior players in the back line which saw them exposed defensively time and time again. Both of the goals they lost could have easily been avoided.

Targeting Philippe Mexes is not completely out of the question because it could give some short-term stability into the United defence as the club search for a long-term addition. Louis van Gaal could use the final week to secure his move in order to have a back up to his already limited pool of centre backs.

Nigel de Jong

De Jong

Name: Nigel de Jong

Age: 29

Position: Defensive Midfield

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: AC Milan

Price: £6 - £10 million

Nigel de Jong is another strong candidate that can step in and hopefully reproduce his national team form while playing under Louis van Gaal. The AC Milan enforcer is someone that can greatly influence the team’s defensive capabilities as well as make the important, more risky challenges.

Having had Premier League experience with Manchester City, he may not need another attempt of adapting to the English game. In addition, if Van Gaal deploys his 3-5-2 formation, De Jong will know exactly what role he plays and how to fully execute his duties.