With the Premier League’s summer transfer window returning a barrage of potential targets for Manchester United, the midfield position is a regular talking point.
While much of the club’s potential kitty relies on the severity of first-team outgoings, daily conversations return similar options.
Casmeiro is a name that is hotly-tipped for a move, with the Saudi Public Investment Fund showing interest in the Brazilian.
A potential departure would leave an evident gap in the squad – one the club appears intent on filling.
Keeping this in mind, the Theatre of Red has profiled three reported targets and the traits they could supply Erik ten Hag‘s side.
From Uruguay, with love
Manuel Ugarte is the most recent player to have their name linked with a move to Old Trafford.
The Uruguayan destroyer has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with Paris Saint-Germain displaying European-leading metrics for a holding midfielder.
However, Les Rouge-et-Bleu will entertain offers while the player competes in Copa América, with Ten Hag’s side one of many interested parties.
The 23-year-old offers a premier skillset of defensive artistry, with staggering numbers in key metrics.
He sat in the second percentile for tackles won per 90 minutes with 2.32 and 1.86 interceptions per outing, ranking in the top four percentile across the Big Five leagues.
Furthermore, he excelled in ball recoveries (8.14), tackles/interceptions (5.97), and dribblers challenged (4.3) per 90 minutes across the entire season.
Entertaining a holding player of this calibre would allow Kobbie Mainoo the freedom to dictate matters further up the field.
A Ligue 1 gem
A second option to have found his name linked to Manchester is the talented Youssouf Fofana.
The Monaco man wants to test his ability in an alternative setting, with the Premier League offering a tempting prospect.
Fofana is an elite midfielder who thrives in defensive settings and a box-to-box environment through attacking transitions.
His frame is imposing, and the physicality of England is a factor that he would relish.
Ten Hag requires a press-resistant player to work alongside Lisandro Martinez in the build-up. The Frenchman offered up 53.86 carries per 90 minutes and lost the ball a meagre 1.1 times per outing.
He averaged 44.35 touches in the midfield per 90′ across last season, ranking in the top 15 percentile across Europe.
In defensive phases, he contributed 7.68 ball recoveries throughout his season.
The 25-year-old would supply steel in defence and is equally capable of providing quality in attacking phases.
Premier League proven
The third and final player to feature is Wolves Brazilian ‘pitbull’ Joao Gomes.
This excites me – given his age, the potential for growth and obvious ability.
Additionally, with 18 months spent in the Premier League already, he offers a known variable in a competitive setting.
Front and centre is the player’s availability – playing 2659 minutes across 34 appearances – avoiding injury, and averaging an impressive 78 minutes per appearance.
His defensive assurance is undeniable, adding 1.73 blocks and 1.46 passes blocked per 90 minutes. Furthermore, he won 3.36 challenges against dribblers and tackled 1.49 per 90′.
These figures came from a staggering 4.35 tackles per 90′, with a success rate of 2.51 per outing. That figure ranks the Brazilian in the 98th percentile across all European leagues.
While Wolves are not required to sell, a market valuation of €35 Million presents an opportunity to pair Mainoo with a midfield partner to dominate for a decade.
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