Manchester United fans’ hopes of a winter continuation of the summer spending spree have been doused, to a degree, by Louis van Gaal who recently warned that:
“I don’t think that we shall be very active as not many players of a certain level are available,” said the Dutchman. “I have said that when we buy a player he has to be better than the players that are playing now and that is a difficult job.”
But he also said recently that the club can move quickly in the market when they find someone that they want. And if you take his performances over the last 18 months into account you would have to say that Nathaniel Clyne looks like a player of the requisite quality for Manchester United.
He reminds us of Ashley Cole in that he is so solid and athletic as a defender. He plays on the right but, like Cole, he gets on with the job of defending with such quiet authority. It’s almost a given that he will shepherd the opposing player out of harm’s way.
But, going forward, he could turn out to be some way batter than the England legend. Because he just loves to get forward and has a delivery that would make a lot of specialist wingers blush in shame. We certainly believe that he has better crossing ability, on average, than both Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia of Manchester United. He hits the ball with power but also great precision.
We can’t overstate how impressed we have been with the lad over the last couple of seasons and we definitely believe that he is of the right sort of quality for Manchester United, who are less than settled on the right flank at this point.
The left side has been luxuriously indulged with the excellent signings of Angel Di Maria and Luke Shaw. And with Manchester United as clear favourites with SkyBet, at 9/2, to sign the player if he does move in this window, there is an outside chance that United fans will have another major transfer to celebrate before the month is out.
He is more likely to stay at his club until the end of the season at least. But, whatever happens, expect investment on that right flank before long.
Let’s see some of his better moments. Manchester United fans: good enough?
