Man Utd in talks to sign 51m "monster" who'd star with De Ligt
Man Utd in talks to sign 51m "monster" who'd star with De Ligt
Now into July, Manchester United are finally starting to get a move on as Sir Jim Ratcliffe presses ahead with plans to make the Red Devils a force to be reckoned with again.
A deal to bring Dan Ashworth to Old Trafford is finally complete and with that said, incomings and outgoings could begin to gather pace in the transfer window.
There have been a host of rumours already, most notably in recent days linking the club with a move for Dutch titan Matthijs de Ligt.
United are keen to bolster their defence having also reportedly made a bid for Jarrad Branthwaite in recent weeks, although that has been rejected.
So, what's next on the agenda? Well, it's believed a midfielder is top of their shopping list.
Man United's midfield shopping list
Rumours have been rife over recent months linking Man United with a swoop for Benfica sensation Joao Neves. However, with a release clause of over £100m that feels unlikely.
So, where next? Well, according to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, PSG star Manuel Ugarte is a 'serious target' having been told he can leave the French club before the window closes.
Claims from Ugarte's native Uruguay report that 'positive talks' have been held between United and PSG with a deal now said to be moving 'closer' according to some in Italy.
A £51m fee has been mooted for his services.
What Ugarte could offer to Man Utd
One of the biggest issues in 2023/24 for Erik ten Hag was a lack of spine. Not his spine, of course, but the team's spine.
Having to get through the season with a crippling injury list that saw them robbed of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane for large parts of the campaign, it meant that building out from the back was tough.
Combine that with Casemiro's disastrous term, with Jamie Carragher memorably saying he should be playing out in Saudi Arabia, and there was no hope for any fluid play down the centre of the pitch.
Fortunately, they are looking to address that. Talks have been held to sign the aforementioned De Ligt and in the Dutchman, they'd be acquiring a player who has the world at his feet. After all, he appears twice on the list of the most expensive defenders of all time.
So, he's a pretty good player based on those valuations. But what would he offer? Well, the 24-year-old is one of the most composed centre-backs around, succeeding with 93% of his passes over the last year, a tally that ranks him in the best 4% of positionally similar players in Europe.
Furthermore, De Ligt is among the 10% for progressive passing, suggesting he knows what it takes to bring the ball out of defence and find a man.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
So, let's get back to Ugarte, how would this be advantageous for him? The Uruguayan is a defensive midfielder by trade and would benefit greatly from playing in front of De Ligt, as opposed to someone like Jonny Evans or even Casemiro, who had to play as a makeshift centre-half at times last season.
Ugarte would know he's got a composed defender behind him, someone willing to give him the ball to dictate play from deep.
Importantly, they're both incredibly strong defensively too. Although the PSG star was playing in a possession-dominated team, he still got through plenty of work off the ball.
Ugarte sits inside the top 2% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for tackles won and the best 1% for ball recoveries, suggesting that he'd certainly make United's spine sterner.
It's vital that Ratcliffe and Co bolster those central areas this summer and in these two players, they could well solve one of their biggest problems.
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