Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made his number one transfer target very clear in 2022, pursuing Frenkie de Jong.
The excitement over Erik ten Hag‘s appointment in summer 2022 slowly turned to worry mid-summer when the club became increasingly obsessed with landing the manager’s number one transfer target, Frenkie de Jong, at all costs.
United agreed a £63 million fee with Barcelona, despite fears De Jong did not want to come. He did not change his mind.
There were fears United were going to waste the entire summer on it, just as the club did in David Moyes’ first summer, chasing Cesc Fabregas without success.
That ended up with a last-ditch pivot to Marouane Fellaini. In 2022, United ended up with Casemiro, a much better alternative – but he was no Frenkie de Jong.
The move for Casemiro provided some curiosity, he is a very different profile of player to De Jong. More combative, less comfortable on the ball, and Erik ten Hag is still searching for his alternative to the Dutchman, soon to enter his fourth transfer window in charge.
Kobbie Mainoo shares traits with De Jong
Ten Hag may not have to dip into the transfer market after all to find his De Jong, although The Guardian does claim United are continuing to monitor potential midfield signings.
The solution can come in the form of 18-year-old wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo, who Ten Hag has been lining up for a first team role for some time.
Mainoo impressed Ten Hag in training last year before shining in a friendly match with Cadiz. He made his debut in January, followed by substitute appearances, before injury ended his season early. The same fate befell him in pre-season, before his eventual season debut this past weekend.
The teenager produced a masterclass of a performance against Everton, impressing with the way he showed for the ball, dropping deep, helping Manchester United to build from the back.
This is the way De Jong likes to play, lots of touches, possession dominant, with confidence.
A report this week from the The Independent, even report that United view Mainoo as a ‘Frenkie de Jong type’ in the midfield.
United have lacked a player like this
Manchester United have never been able to replace Michael Carrick since his retirement, lacking a player with the same style, able to calmly control and dictate games from deep.
Speaking about De Jong, Ten Hag told UEFA.com: “He is always calm and always has the solution.
“He scans so well that he always knows how to go forward. You can hardly put him under pressure – that is such a great gift.”
This was evident in Mainoo’s display at Goodison Park, with the midfielder unflustered, relaxed under pressure, and effective with his decision-making.
The best is yet to come from the teenager, who can break into Ten Hag’s Manchester United side as a regular in the same way De Jong did at Ajax.
The difference is, this time Ten Hag will not have to sell, and can look forward to many more years of Mainoo’s development under his wing.
After a torturous transfer saga in 2022, it may turn out that Ten Hag can find what he was looking for all along.
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