Alternative XI: Imagining Manchester United without Raiola's influence

Despite an impressive first-season haul of the Europa League and League Cup, you could argue one man has profited more than any other during Jose Mourinho's Manchester United reign: Mino Raiola.

The super-agent has ushered Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan through Old Trafford's front door since Mourinho took over in the summer of 2016, amounting to over €230 million in transfers. Raiola clearly isn't familiar with the concept of offering "mates' rates" to business pals.

But how would United look if those vast sums were signed over to different representatives? Here, theScore looks at alternative players Mourinho could've signed, and how they would've slotted into the Portuguese handler's XI.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

2016-17 lineup

Raiola summer deals

Suggested summer deals

Considering the hyper-critical nature of the British media, it's surprising that Pogba's transfer isn't repeatedly flagged up as an egregious piece of business. The French midfielder left United in 2012 for a pittance, and returned four years later for €105 million. Evidence of his strutting displays for Juventus has been fleeting, and has far from justified his fee.

Without him and Mkhitaryan, and Ibrahimovic's wages, there would have been plenty of funds to play with.

Rather than stifle the creativity of Ander Herrera by turning him into a pest scuttling horizontally in front of the backline, that job could've been done by N'Golo Kante. Chelsea, surprisingly, had no great competition for the diminutive scrapper, allowing the former Leicester City man to be a key protagonist in its title triumph. How different could last season have panned out with Kante donning the red of United?

Elsewhere, Mourinho could've been ahead of the curve in other market meddling by snapping up Mohamed Salah, Benjamin Mendy, and Naby Keita before their values rapidly increased following outstanding maiden terms for Roma, Monaco, and RB Leipzig, respectively.

To cap off a successful window, Samuel Umtiti could have helped forge a dogged defence alongside Eric Bailly. Barcelona only paid €25 million for the left-footed centre-half and, with wage reserves not depleted by Ibrahimovic's salary, United would have been in position to strong-arm the Spanish giant with a generous pay packet.

Already the lineup looks stronger with these alternative nabs, and there would have been leftover pocket money to spend the following summer.

2017-18 lineup

Raiola summer deals

Suggested summer deals

With the midfield transforming into a Mourinho-pleasing, resolute trio, there is room for more deep-lying performers in the middle of the park. Nemanja Matic, not a member of the Raiola stable, arrives to compete with Keita, Kante, and another player who could prove a bargain in the future: Corentin Tolisso.

The youngster smartly adapted his game while at Lyon, attracting Bayern Munich to his services. In the Bundesliga, his attacking traits have been tempered a little - key passes and dribbles per 90 minutes are down - but there has been improvement in his ball retention and how he covers the opposition's passing lanes. If Tolisso operated in the midfield with the previous summer's suggested signings, each game would be awash with interceptions. Tolisso's quick-thinking when he's won possession would also be the spark for a barrage of counter-attacks.

When artistry needs to replace industriousness, Juan Mata can be introduced from the bench.

Ibrahimovic and Lukaku aren't Manchester United players in this artificial existence, so Mourinho would need consider names to bulk up his forward options. The last close season saw a number of attackers leave for whopping fees - Neymar, Ousmane Dembele, Lukaku, and Alexandre Lacazette, to name a few - but the Portuguese gaffer could've stepped up his chase for Alvaro Morata, a striker who was linked to United for some time.

Like Lukaku, the Spaniard is going through a sticky patch with only five goals across all competitions since the end of September, but his heading ability would appeal to a manager open to unleashing aerial bombardments on teams. In the real world, Morata is on course to easily outscore four of Didier Drogba's opening five league campaigns for Chelsea, so should be afforded patience in his maiden season as a first-choice frontman.

With Salah and crowd-favourite Marcus Rashford buzzing around him, and Mendy venturing forwards to unleash his ferocious crosses, Morata wouldn't be short of supply.