It’s a story as previous as time. A membership outdoors the top-6 threatens to interrupt by way of. After a profitable season, their finest gamers are poached by the elites. They fall from grace, and a brand new upstart takes their place and so forth the cycle goes. The flavour of this season is Brighton and Hove Albion. Roberto de Zerbi has achieved an amazing job, selecting up the place Graham Potter left off to make Brighton a risk to the highest six.
Evidently, their gamers are being focused. Manchester United have been linked with a couple of gamers who would undoubtedly make the staff higher. Brighton’s scouting system is the envy of the soccer world proper now, and these gamers are those United needs to be going after with urgency-
Alexis Mac Allister
A World Cup winner, confirmed within the Premier League, a consummate skilled who fills a place of want. What’s to not like about Alexis Mac Allister and Manchester United’s match? Reportedly, the membership agrees and has already made strikes to signal Mac Allister.
Christian Eriksen has been run into the bottom this season. The identical goes for Bruno Fernandes. Marcel Sabitzer’s emergency mortgage has yielded combined outcomes whereas Fred and McTominay’s look means an enormous drop-off in high quality from the first-choice gamers.
Mac Allister’s versatility means he can play alongside Casemiro in a pivot in a 4-2-3-1, or give Bruno a relaxation by enjoying because the No 10 in the identical formation. Moreover, he’s equally as snug enjoying as one of many two central midfielders in a 4-3-3 forward of a defensive midfielder.
He would clear up United’s ball development points to some extent. His new-found goalscoring prowess additionally means he can reply Erik ten Hag’s name for extra gamers to contribute to the scoresheet.
Grade: A
Moises Caicedo
If Alexis Mac Allister strengthens the attack-minded midfield division, Moises Caicedo would arrive to deputise Casemiro. Lauded because the “cement between the stones” by Erik ten Hag this season, Casemiro’s defensive nous of breaking apart play has remodeled the membership this season.
Casemiro answered United’s name who had lacked a pure defensive midfielder since Nemanja Matic’s first season. True to type, United have seemed like a far worse staff in his absence. In buying Moises Caicedo, United’s defensive midfield could be stocked with two high quality choices. Furthermore, Casemiro was extra of a “win-now” signing as he turned 31 in February.
Caicedo would arrive, be taught from one of the best within the enterprise, after which take over full-time in a 12 months or two as Casemiro’s position could be finest utilised intelligently as a result of his advancing age. Manchester United in any case play so many video games in a season that even when Casemiro is first-choice, Caicedo would simply get at the least 30 video games subsequent season if he arrives.
Grade: B+ (Because of the participant being wooed by Arsenal within the January window)
Robert Sanchez
It has been a tricky few weeks for Robert Sanchez. Usurped by Jason Steele at Brighton because the first-choice goalkeeper, Sanchez has needed to be glad with cup appearances.
Nevertheless, his high quality just isn’t in query. Usually part of the Spanish nationwide setup, Sanchez is the prototypical fashionable goalkeeper. Ten Hag has backed David de Gea publicly this season however his exorbitant wages and iffy match with United’s fashion of play means he can’t be the membership’s long-term possibility.
Robert Sanchez could be an astute signing. He’s confirmed within the Premier League, suits with Erik ten Hag’s imaginative and prescient of soccer, and could be extra reasonably priced than different choices like Diogo Costa as his contract expires in 2025. Add the truth that the vast majority of United’s dressing room speaks Spanish, and Sanchez would take no time to acclimatise himself to his new environment.
Grade: B (Higher choices elsewhere, however a sensible addition total)
Honourable point out: Evan Ferguson
Evan Ferguson not too long ago signed a brand new contract at Brighton which ties him to the membership until 2028. Nevertheless, the truth of recent soccer signifies that contracts are mainly a ploy for the promoting membership to strengthen their place available in the market as a substitute of really maintaining the participant.
Aged simply 18, Ferguson is simply one of many quite a few attacking gamers who’ve flourished this season underneath De Zerbi’s free-flowing soccer. Earlier than he signed his contract, Manchester United have been within the queue to signal the Irish worldwide, as have been a number of different golf equipment.
Nevertheless, United’s putting state of affairs means they might be extra prepared than anybody else to splash the money. Whereas this transfer could be troublesome within the upcoming summer season window, a future transfer to United shouldn’t be dominated out for Ferguson. Even on the participant’s facet, he would do nicely to determine himself at Brighton for an additional full season earlier than transferring to greater pastures.
Grade: B (Sterling possibility, however deal unlikely within the close to future)
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