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Analysis
- 1 minutes ago
The five signings Man Utd need to SAVE themselves from disaster
Analysis
Manchester United are heading for the abyss.
It may seem dramatic to say but after their Europa League final defeat to Spurs, Man Utd are genuinely on the precipice of absolute disaster.
Sporting-wise this season was about as colossal a collapse as one could imagine for a club of United's stature, and next season could be even worse.
Pushed up against PSR compliance rules and with a squad that will finish 17th in the Premier League, they need some new players to help Ruben Amorim turn it around.
STATS
Rasmus Højlund
F (C)
Man Utd
Rasmus Højlund
F (C)
Man Utd
But who? FootballTransfers has found five essential signings that Man Utd need to save themselves from spiralling into a footballing abyss next season.
Goalkeeper: Joan Garcia
First and foremost at the top of the page in 72 point bold Arial font: Man Utd need a goalkeeper. It's not an exaggeration to say that Andre Onana has been a disaster so large that he's the subject of Roland Emmerich's next film.
Onana has always been an erratic keeper but his tendencies combined with the media spotlight at Man Utd and a defence that does actually ask him to be decisive has led to error on error on error. His calamatous performance handed Spurs the Europa League without them ever needing to fire a shot on target.
Joan Garcia, meanwhile, is a monster. The Catalan shot-stopper has been the only thing standing between Espanyol and relegation and has prevented around 7.1 goals this season, such has been the quality of his saves.
That is a number high enough to prove Garcia's excellence yet not so high as to be an obviously unrepeatable aberration (such as Vanja Milinkovic-Savic's 11.4 goals prevented).
Current ETV
Joan García
GK
Espanyol
Joan García
GK
Espanyol
ETV Range
€22M - €26.8M
What's more, Garcia's release clause is just €25 million, and could drop to €15 million if Espanyol are relegated. And further, Barcelona are rumoured to be interested in Garcia, so Espanyol would be desperate to get a sale done abroad so their prize player doesn't move across town to their most hated rivals.
Get it done. Now. Wait until Monday to see if Espanyol get relegated, and then whatever the clause is, pay it and give Garcia whatever he wants. Don't let it get to Wednesday without Garcia signed.
Defender: Ethan Pinnock
One of Man Utd's biggest problems, as evidenced in the Europa League final, is that they can struggle to move the ball through the middle of the pitch. Not just in attacks up the gut, but even getting the ball wide in a timely fashion.
They'd like to sign a midfielder to fix this problem, but unfortunately midfielders who can progress the ball like that are not cheap and, what's more, they can struggle to be as defensively robust as Ruben Amorim likes his central midfielders to be (hence Kobbie Mainoo having to play as a no. 10).
However United have the perfect player to fill this slot: Lisandro Martinez. The problem is Martinez, when healthy, is also the starting left centre-back.
Solution? Get a new left centre-back. A solid veteran who can come in, know exactly how to defend and protect his box, while also not blocking the path of the young and promising Ayden Heaven.
Heaven is 18 years-old and looks a very promising option to play on the left of United's defence, but he needs a veteran to learn from and United need another solid defender there so they can play Martinez (who is genuinely world-class on the ball) in a more advanced role.
Enter Ethan Pinnock.
Current ETV
Ethan Pinnock
D (C)
Brentford
Ethan Pinnock
D (C)
Brentford
ETV Range
€6.5M - €8.7M
The 30 year-old Jamaican international has been the mainstay of the Brentford back-line for years and is a rock solid Premier League veteran. With two years left on his contract he won't cost much and will bring leadership as well as being the ideal age to give Ayden Heaven enough time to mature steadily before breaking into the team.
Attacking midfield: Matheus Cunha
Man Utd have been linked with signing Matheus Cunha for weeks now, and the deal was said to be almost done before the final.
Now that United have lost the final, one suspects the deal will be done and announced in a very short order to placate the fans.
STATS
Matheus Cunha
F (C)
Wolverhampton
Matheus Cunha
F (C)
Wolverhampton
And it fits, too. Cunha can dribble, he can drive and most importantly he can score. The Brazilian should be a mainstay of the United attack going forward.
Attacking midfield: Bryan Mbeumo
While Cunha is a clear pick to be one of Ruben Amorim's attacking midfielders, the other slot is a problem.
Time was you'd put Bruno Fernandes in that role, but the Portuguese's workrate and ability to drive the team up the pitch mean he's arguably better in one of the central midfield roles (especially if he's partnered by Lisandro Martinez).
Kobbie Mainoo is a good fit for the no. 10 role, and Garnacho can play it too, but as academy products both are likely to be sold to save United from a PSR black hole.
Zirkzee is a trier and everyone loves him, but he's a back-up.
Which leaves Mason Mount and Amad.
With Mount, obviously the superstar talent is still there but it shows itself all too infrequently. The Englishman is best suited to a back-up role right now, coming off the bench to try and impact games late on, or rotating in against weaker opponents.
For Amad, the issue is one of size. He's so slight that he can't really play with his back to goal like a no. 10 needs to do sometimes. This was evident in the Europa League final.
Current ETV
Amad Diallo
F, M (R), AM (C)
Man Utd
Amad Diallo
F, M (R), AM (C)
Man Utd
ETV Range
€43.6M - €53.3M
Amad is at his best facing down the opponent and dribbling at them from a wide area. To that end, in Amorim's system he has to play wing-back.
So United need another attacking midfielder. A player who can dribble, pass and score. Basically Amad but with more muscle.
Bryan Mbeumo fits that role perfectly. The Cameroon international has 19 goals and 7 assists heading into the final day of the Premier League season and would provide some much-needed goalscoring in the final third.
STATS
Bryan Mbeumo
F (CR), M (R)
Brentford
Bryan Mbeumo
F (CR), M (R)
Brentford
Mbeumo and Amad dovetailing on that flank would be sensational fun. Moreover, Mbeumo would also mean that if Amad gets injured, you could play someone like Noussair Mazraoui or even, heaven forbid, Diogo Dalot at wing-back and not lose too much because Mbeumo is built to be able to shine as a 10.
Striker: Victor Osimhen
Manchester United need goals.
Rasmus Hojlund is an absolute disaster and will not provide them. Marcus Rashford is persona non grata at the club and will not provide them. Chido Obi is a good couple of years away from being ready and will not provide them.
Liam Delap is a promising young prospect who has super size, potent pressing, brilliant ball-carrying and surprisingly sharp shooting off either foot. He might provide them.
Man Utd need more than might. They cannot afford to waste another season waiting for might. They need goals.
Victor Osimhen will provide them.
STATS
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Galatasaray
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Galatasaray
The Nigerian striker didn't get a pre-season as he was frozen out of the Napoli squad by Antonio Conte. He was then turfed to Galatasaray at the transfer deadline.
He's scored 25 times this season, is top-scorer of the Turkish Super Lig, and has fired Galatasaray to be champions with two games to spare.
Two years ago he scored 26 times in 32 games as he fired Napoli to win Serie A for the first time since Diego Maradona was playing there.
Pay whatever Napoli want (this can probably be offset by agreeing to sell them Alejandro Garnacho) and then give Osimhen the €12 million net wages he wants. He will score the goals to fire Man Utd back into relevance.
Football transfer news headlines today
Ruben Amorim offers to LEAVE Man Utd after Europa League final loss
Alejandro Garnacho’s Man Utd exit sealed by EXPLOSIVE Instagram post slamming Ruben Amorim
Bruno Fernandes makes Man Utd EXIT admission: If the club thinks it’s time to part ways…
Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Gyokeres Man Utd DREAM, Chelsea Fernandez TRUTH, Arsenal EYE Pedro
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Premier League
Man Utd
Bryan Mbeumo
Ethan Pinnock
Joan Garcia
Matheus Cunha
Victor Osimhen
