With Manchester United’s new system under Louis van Gaal coming into sharp focus during the pre-season friendlies, it’s also now easier to predict the sorts of players that may be arriving at the club this summer.
The fact that Manchester United will be employing three centre backs next season means that the club will almost certainly add one or two more to their ranks before the start of the season. Manchester United have lots of really good young defenders but Louis van Gaal will probably want to balance this out by adding some mature stoppers like Thomas Vermaelen.
Gone are traditional full backs and conventional wingers. There is always a clamour for Manchester United to sign exciting wide men, but the new system means that Van Gaal will be looking to add either strikers or wing backs, rather than old-fashioned wingers who don’t have the lung capacity to track back and help the defence.
To this end, there is one player who we think would absolutely smash it at Manchester United next season. And the feeling is that the player is ready for a move. Barcelona could still be at the head of the queue for his signature but we think that he’s there for the taking if Manchester United make a serious move.
The Daily Mail reports:
Juan Guillermo Cuadrado’s Barcelona move stalls giving Manchester United a chance
Barcelona’s chances of signing Colombia international Juan Guillermo Cuadrado have been dealt a blow, with the player’s agent revealing negotiations with the Catalan club have stalled.
‘I’ve been in direct contact with Barcelona and with other clubs. They showed interest but now there are no negotiations in place, not with Barcelona or any other clubs.’
We sense that the player’s first choice would be Barca. But with the Catalans having spent huge money already this summer they may struggle to match the £40m price tag that the club has put around the neck of Cuadrado.
United, on the other hand, are still flush with cash and will probably receive fees for players like Chicharito, Fellaini and a couple of others too.
Although Manchester United have Valencia and Rafa on the right, we can’t think of many players better suited to this role than Cuadrado. He’s got the same massive engine of Valencia and Rafa. He looks as if he could adapt to the wingback role without issue. But his quality from the wings and in the final third is on a different level, to the other two, altogether.
£40m seems a lot but, for that, you are getting allayer who can defend and attack. We think he would be a sensation at Manchester United.
The wing backs will be vital cogs for LvG next season – perhaps the most important players in the team. We believe that Luke Shaw will grow into the role on the left and become a titan for the club. And even though we are fans of Valencia and Rafael, we think that Manchester United could do with a little bit more explosiveness and magic down the right side – Cuadrado is surely the man.
Let’s see him in action. Manchester United fans: the perfect buy?
akinyemi akinwale
Jul 31, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Manchester best club in d world