As the new campaign looms, Manchester United face the difficult task of selecting a midfield that suits the teams new balance found under Louis van Gaal. With 2 central midfielders already purchased this summer, along with Memphis Depay who can be deployed almost anywhere on the attacking front of the midfield, United have plenty of options.

Last season, Van Gaal eventually adopted the 4-3-3 formation, something he has promised to keep as the team prepare for next season. The 2014/15 season saw the rise of Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young, two unlikely sources, but a duo who both played huge parts in the midfield and helped ensure Champions League qualification. The Dutch manager often opted to play Michael Carrick (when fit) alongside Fellaini and Herrera, with Ashley Young partnering Juan Mata on the wings. The trio in the middle and the duo out wide looked brilliant for United, and with the likes of Angel di Maria and Daley Blind looking on from the substitutes bench as a result, you can see why Van Gaal is eager to continue with the winning formula.

So how exactly will United set-out next season? Well, it seems increasingly likely we’ll see more of the same. Louis van Gaal has a handful of extremely capable midfielders:

Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastien Schweinsteiger, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini can cover the deeper roles in the midfield.
The likes of Ashley Young, Memphis Depay, Juan Mata, Andreas Pereira, Adnan Januzaj, Jesse Lingard and of course Angel di Maria (seemingly on the way out) can all operate further up the field.

The flurry of talent makes the team selection a big task for Louis van Gaal – but perhaps this is how the boss will set out next season..

(4-3-3)

Schneiderlin (Central Defensive Midfield)

Schweinsteiger (Central Midfielder) – Herrera (Central Midfielder)

This is probably how Van Gaal sees his side setting out in the middle of the park for next season, although it is likely he will still put his faith in 34-year-old Michael Carrick instead of new signing Morgan Schneiderlin for the time being. Either way, there’s plenty of options on the bench for the manager as well. Fellaini was described as the Dutchman’s ‘secret weapon’ last season, and Daley Blind is more than capable of playing a defensive midfield job, though it is likely his place in the side lies in defence this season.

As for the forward line, it would seem as if Depay and Rooney’s impressive partnership is too much for LvG to handle, and the Dutchman will probably opt to play Depay from the left instead of Ashley Young. On the right side, we can probably expect to see Juan Mata retain his spot, although should United complete the signing of Barcelona’s Pedro, who knows how it may affect the No 8’s spot.