Gary Neville weighed in with a transfer suggestion for Manchester United over the weekend.
He tipped Watford winger Ismaila Sarr as a potential signing on United’s right wing, as a cheaper alternative to Jadon Sancho.
The ex-Red Devils’ skipper told the Gary Neville Podcast, reported by The Mail: “Manchester United need a right winger. He’s a big, big talent, honestly he really is. He’ll be sought after and Watford will, I’m sure, cash in if they get the right bid.
“I always think, particularly as a wide player, what would I have not wanted to have played against? The first thing is pace. And then you’ve got to think about, can he use his pace?
‘Well yes he can, because he makes really good quality runs: the spin in behind, straight, but also the run inside in between full-back and centre back – which I always think is the most difficult to mark.”
Watford bought Sarr for £30 million from Rennes last summer and he has had a mixed debut campaign in the Premier League.
Here we will delve into Neville’s transfer tip-off and look at the cases for and against signing Sarr…
Snap him up now…
Sarr is a player capable of producing against the best. He ripped Liverpool apart as Watford ended their unbeaten run in style back in February.
He scored two goals and provided an assist in an inspired 3-0 win, to show what he is capable of.
We should not forget how Sarr also netted against United in Watford’s 2-0 win over us back in December. Yes that was really down to a David de Gea mistake, but they all count.
He was also one of the only attackers to cause Aaron Wan-Bissaka problems this season, after his elusiveness led to the United right-back conceding a penalty.
He also scored against Arsenal in the Europa League last season for Rennes, in a season in which he netted 13 times and provided 11 assists for the French club. This ability to step up in big games is a good sign.
This move to the Premier League was seen as a stepping stone, and he has used this season to acclimatise well.
Sarr is destined for a bigger stage than Watford, and United might do well to buy now rather than risk missing out.
United were once hesitant over Sarr’s Senegal international teammate Sadio Mane, who then joined Liverpool instead. Mane has gone onto become one of the Premier League’s best players.
FourFourTwo reports Sarr grew up as a Manchester United supporter too.
Gary Neville is not the only one to think highly of Sarr. Senegalese talent spotted Mady Toure, who spotted Mane, told The Guardian last year that the Watford winger’s game reminded him of an iconic former United star.
Toure said: “What I can say is that Ismaïla is a little like Cristiano Ronaldo. And Ronaldo is his idol. They have quite a similar way of playing. I said Sadio would blow up in England and I can tell you that Ismaïla will do the same.
“He will even win a Ballon d’Or too. He is fast, powerful and now that he has his bearings … and it’s only his first season, you will see how he gets better and progresses. I think he is well set to become one of the best players in England and the world.”
That is some serious high praise for Sarr and it is this potential which United should consider gambling on. The winger’s explosive play could make Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side an even bigger threat on the counter attack and more unpredictable going forward.
Put him around United’s talented teammates and Sarr could really thrive.
Don’t do it…
It may just be too much too soon for the talented Sarr to make the move to Old Trafford.
This season for Watford he has been inconsistent, with six goals scored and three assists.
He has no goals or assists in eight starts since his demolition of Liverpool.
Watford paid £30 million for Sarr last summer and would want a profit. As soon as United come calling, his price tag would reach £50 million.
This is just too much for a player who is still a long way from reaching the level he aspires to get to.
United already have one inconsistent speedy winger with potential in Dan James, and Sarr could be an expensive gamble which goes wrong. There is no guarantee he gets anywhere near the level of Senegalese countryman Mane.
Right wing is a top priority position for United this summer and Jadon Sancho should be the top target, as Neville acknowledges.
If United are pressed into looking for an alternative because Sancho’s price tag is too expensive, then there are other good alternatives to the England winger who the club could look at too.
Sarr is not at the stage where he could hold down a weekly starting place at United at this time, and that is what we need from our next right winger, not an inconsistent player who may take two or three years to hit the level we need.
Verdict
Sarr is an interesting player who United may regret not signing if he goes on to excel elsewhere.
But at the price Watford are likely to demand, it is tough to see there being value on a deal for Sarr, unless they slip back from 17th over the last two games and get relegated, and have to sell him on the cheap.
We are still pretty confident a deal for Jadon Sancho will get done this summer. United have targeted him for over a year now, and Dortmund are already admitting they are eyeing up replacements for him [Goal.com].
So with that in mind, United are unlikely to sign two wingers, not unless the second is very cheap, considering Mason Greenwood can also play in the position.
Sarr is a player with strong potential, and the real missed opportunity here was probably not signing him last summer.
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