The Transfer Manchester United Need
Manchester United is under a massive reconstruction with new manager Erik ten Hag taking over. There are many players that have already made the decision not to return to the club and sign a new contract. Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, and Jesse Lingard are a few of the players not returning due to the expiration of their contracts. New signings will be critical for United’s success next season due to the lack of improvement that the current squad has shown. For this United team, center defensive midfield is the most important position for Ten Hag to address during the transfer window.
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The importance of the center defensive midfield position is sometimes overshadowed by the other more stat oriented positions like forwards and attacking midfielders. The top teams in Europe all have a stud in the center defensive midfielder position: Liverpool has Fabinho, Real Madrid has Casemiro, Manchester City has Rodri, and so on. The role of a center defensive midfielder is to stop dangerous attacks by the opposition so the defense is not under constant pressure and to control the pace of the game with smart and precise passing. United does not have this player which has hindered the formations and players they have had to play.
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Scott McTominay and Fred have been used together to try and resemble a top center defensive midfielder. Neither of them has the ability to be the sole center defensive midfielder which has made it difficult for managers to play a more attack minded team. This issue made it hard for Paul Pogba to find his position in the team because he could not play next to either McTominay or Fred because there would not be enough defensive ability in the midfield and he could not play higher because Bruno Fernandes is better than him. If he had Fabinho or N’Golo Kanté next to him he would have an easier time getting into the squad because he would not have to worry about defensive responsibility and have more of a license to get forward. United need to find a quality center defensive midfielder if they want to see a greater success this season.
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One player I have in mind to fill this role is Declan Rice. Rice has shown for both West Ham and England that he is a top quality center defensive midfielder. He has a great tenacity on defense and rarely gives away the ball. He is also comfortable with the Premier League and is ready to take a step up from West Ham. If I were Erik ten Hag, Declan Rice or someone similar to his playstyle would be my main priority during the transfer window.