Forget about signings for a minute. This club has spent the better part of half a billion since Fergie's departure, and we've still missing several key pieces, and the squad is still rather underwhelming. Above all, we need a more consistently coherent structure with every player on the same page. You can sign whoever you want, but if the players aren't suited to the system or don't pull off the manager's instructions or half arse things, then all the spending going to be an exercise in futility.
Provided José addresses that aspect, in terms of what we need, starting off with the most crucial positions:
1. Pogba's not an elite box-to-box central midfielder in a two man midfield. Playing him alongside a pseudo-destroyer like Fellaini is a waste of everyone's time because you concede the control of the game to any decent opposition straight off the ball. As for the type of midfield structure we should be building, Juventus under Conte and Allegri offers a decent template (both in the terms of effectiveness and the fact that Pogba was brilliant in the system):
Deeper playmaker + box-to-box midfielder + Pogba:
Pogba playing the position of “mezz’ala” — meaning “half-wing” is already a game changer and has proven in 2016 how wide his skillset is by adding end product to his passing. The Frenchman’s physique combined with his unique press resistance makes him difficult to dispossess and he uses these qualities quite well in moving the ball into the final third. The Frenchman has an aggressive starting position in build up and mainly occupies areas in the final third.
You look at some of the positions he regularly took up at Juventus (LCM), and he was doing the same sort of thing vs City on instinct by advancing up the inside left channel:
We have a decent box-to-box midfielder in Ander (not exactly a Vidal or Gündogan in the position, but he can do a good job once he finds his rhythm). What we're desperately lacking is someone who can control the game like Pirlo and Marchisio did for Juventus, or indeed Carrick did under Fergie (and during the purple patch under Van Gaal where he played as the deepest midfielder behind Ander and Fellaini). We've always had someone who can set the tempo of the game and bring some sort of order to a chaotic match - from Keane to Scholes to Carrick. The most obvious solution are Verratti and Weigl, but why would they move to United at this moment in time? Outside of those two, maybe Parejo?
Or, use a defensive midfielder and sign someone else to become the architect. Either way, someone who can be the 'brain' of the XI has to be signed for this team to build an identity in the center of the park.
2. Center Forward: Odd choice, but we can't rely on Ibrahimović to play every game. Rashford is very raw and young, and still has a lot of development ahead of him, so he might not be ready in time as a full fledged starter. The bad news is that there are very few world class #9 talents around. So unless Rashford reaches a consistently elite standard all of a sudden at an incredibly early age, or someone like Milik or Icardi has a Lewandowski/Costa type 2 year metamorphosis, things don't look to rosy in this department. You just can't expect to compete vs teams that have Suárez/Lewandowski/Agüero/Benzema/Aubameyang without having one of your own - and Zlatan is only going to provide a small 2 year window at anything remotely close to that level. That problem's even more severe when those teams also have the likes of Messi/Bale/Ronaldo and co. flanking said center forward. Or, sign someone like Griezmann to play as the False 9,but that's unlikely to happen under Mourinho given his preference for more traditional #9s.
3. Right back: Need a deputy to Valencia, who'll eventually step up full time into the role. In the absence of standout candidates for the role, João Cancelo makes sense. Or maybe Passlack, but again, Dortmund will likely not sell him. And the player himself might not want to join the club.
These 3 are of utmost importance, IMO. And depending on where you stand on some of ours other players, you could probably add centerback + box-to-box midfield/#10 (insistence on Pogba as a CM) + flank hugging attacker to the list. On the CB front, Thiago Silva's contract expires in 2018, and it hasn't been renewed, so there's that. Much like the midfield area, we need a brain for the defensive line - particularly someone with great passing ability and leadership and elite experience and defensive nous in one package (Blind/Smalling offer one or two, but not all four at once). You've thrown your chips for the young CB quota with the signing of Bailly, so the likes of Giménez don't make as much sense in the absence of a defensive marshal to partner 'em.
Also, in terms of scouting, it's a travesty that clubs sign the likes of Weigl and Kimmich and Guerreiro for great value, while we've spent close to £200 million on the midfield area alone (and it's still a big cause of concern). United has eyewatering revenue levels, but surely the club can aim to do better.
He's been linked to Chelsea in the past when Mou was there I think