With a place in next season’s Champions League looking relatively secure despite a recent run of defeats, Manchester United are widely expected to splash the cash this summer.

The Old Trafford outfit are undergoing a post-Sir Alex Ferguson transition, with the side desperate to get back amongst the silverware next term.

As such, a number of new faces will surely end up at the Manchester club ahead of 2015-16, with reinforcements expected in an array of different positions.

One area that United looked overstocked in at the start of the campaign was centre forward, but as the season has progressed it appears likely that Louis van Gaal will want a new striker this off-season.

Wayne Rooney has been the best of the Dutch maestro’s options as the furthest man forward and hitting 12 Premier League goals as the club’s top scorer in 2014-15. However, the England captain has also been deployed frequently in midfield.

Radamel Falcao is on loan and has had an underwhelming campaign; as such a permanent deal for the Colombian seems unlikely this summer, while James Wilson has not been afforded much time on the pitch.

Meanwhile, Robin Van Persie has endured another inconsistent campaign.

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The Netherlands international was expected to thrive under compatriot Van Gaal and during various stints of the campaign has looked back to his ominous best.

However, the former Arsenal star has suffered from debilitating injuries that have prevented the veteran from stringing a run of games together to build momentum.

With a revamp at Old Trafford this summer on the cards, slight whispers in the media over Van Persie’s future have started to emerge.

The attacker has netted 10 Premier League goals this term, but arguably United’s best performances have come when Van Persie has not been in the team.

Turning 32 ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, Van Persie’s place in the starting XI is already under threat before the expected influx of world-class stars this summer.

The Dutchman has lost a yard of pace, while niggling injuries mean that United can no longer consider Van Persie as their first-choice number nine.

For the player, a consideration of priorities is necessary ahead of the new campaign.

If he wants to stay at a top club and fight for honours, but potentially play a fringe role in the team’s success, then continuing at United will fit the bill.

However, being a fierce competitor, Van Persie is likely to be unimpressed with the likely absence of week-in, week-out first-team action, which could force him to consider his future.

For United, partnering Rooney with a new face in his pomp seems like the right approach to challenge the top teams in English football.

The ability to introduce someone of Van Persie’s stature and predatory nature from the substitute’s bench would be an excellent option, but the player could well become disillusioned with a dip in importance.

As such, the opportunity to move abroad of the new campaign could well be an option that suits all parties.

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