Manchester United transfer news: How could new signings Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin fit into starting line-up?

United play Tottenham on 8 August and could have at least four new signings in their first XI

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin have joined Manchester United (Manchester United)

Manchester United have completed the combined £40m signings of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin spark the belief among their fans that they are on course to challenge for the Premier League title this season.

With United manager Louis van Gaal and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward already acting in the transfer market to bring in Memphis Depay and Matteo Darmian from PSV Eindhoven and Torino respectively, United have undergone just shy of £80m worth of squad reconstruction this summer.

The additions could yet continue, with Robin van Persie’s imminent move to Fenerbahce set to leave United short on striker. But while the likes of Edinson Cavani and Christian Benteke have been linked with the club, United are yet to move for a new front-man to help captain Wayne Rooney.

Despite this, United’s starting line-up is set to look very different from the one that finished last season in fourth, and Van Gaal will hope that his expensively assembled squad will do more than just challenge for top honours this campaign.

With Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger likely to start more often than not, we asked readers of The Independent to choose who they would want to see in the third central midfield role, with the result below.

So how could United’s side line-up for the first game of the season against Tottenham on 8 August? Here’s how we think United’s new stars could fit into the side, along with the third central midfielder that we asked you to vote for.

The problem with United’s starting line-up prediction remains guessing Van Gaal’s preferred formation, with the Dutchman switching between a three and four-man defence, a one and two-man strike partnership and all kinds of combinations in midfield.