Transfer Trap

There are many players who will be on the top of most club manager's wish list following the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but with the inflated price tags on those players - will they be worth the money?

Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson knows that the success of a player at the World Cup only means that the price tag will be that much higher - especially with Real Madrid and Manchester City looking build on last season's disappointment.

Those two clubs will drive up the price of every player, no matter if they had a good tournament or not, because clubs will base the valuations of their players by what Madrid and City are paying for similar players.

For instance, Jose Mourinho and Madrid have captured Argentinean winger, Angel Di Maria, from Benfica in a €25 million deal.

Trap
Despite being on the world's biggest stage in South Africa, many players have failed to produce performances that will attract big money moves following the tournament.

Managers have to be very careful that they do not fall for what is quickly becoming known as the "Lukas Poldolski Jinx."

Podolski produces goals when he is wearing the colors of Germany, but he is unable to replicate those performances with his club team, FC Cologne.

His international teammate, Miroslav Klose, is another player that has been guilty of this as well with Bayern Munich.

Wayne Rooney did just the opposite for England, because he had a stellar season for United, but he was unable to carry that form into the World Cup.

Interested
One player that has declared his interest to come to Old Trafford is Brazilian center forward Luis Fabiano.

The talented goal scorer has only one season remaining on his contract with Sevilla FC, but he has openly stated his interest to play his football at a top level club with United or AC Milan his likely destination.

His goals-to-game ratio for the Brazilian national team is impressive - 28 goals in 42 matches - but unlike Podolski, he has a similar ratio for his club team.

Getting the 29-year old would be a great acquisition for Sir Alex, because he is not only the type of player that gets in the right position to finish off the service provided by the other United attackers, but he also holds the ball up well to get them involved.

Wish
Besides the Netherland duo of Wesley Snijder and Arjen Robben, there is another player that would benefit United and that is German winger, Mesut Özil.

Snijder and Robben, the two goal scorers in their Round of 16 match with Slovakia, are two play-making midfielders that could seemlessly fit into the United squad.

However, the 21-year old German-born Turk, has really caught the eye during their free-flowing performances.

Özil plays for Werder Bremen, who finished third in the Bundesliga, will be looking to keep one of their prized-assets or get an absorbent amount of money for him.

Departed
Ferguson has already sold two fringer players, Ben Foster and Zoran Tosic, who have been unable to stamp their place in the United squad.

The Gaffer also decided against offering five youth players a senior contract with Tom Heaton joining Cardiff and Febian Brandy, Sam Hewson, Scott Moffatt and Ron-Robert Zieler all released.

Even if Sir Alex Ferguson does not bring in anyone after the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Manchester United still have a deep enough squad to compete in all of their competitions that they are involved in during the 2010/11 season.