Initial casualties of Ruben Amorim’s revolution have already started to emerge, with Marcus Rashford becoming a fringe player and a pure inside forward like Alejandro Garnacho struggling to adjust.
With time, more might emerge which is when the discussion will shift to potential reinforcements as Ruben Amorim gets an idea of who does what in the team.
There are some holes in the current Man Utd squad already clear to see, like the wing-back position, particularly the left-sided one.
While that is certainly a priority, there’s another position that, if fortified, could make the whole team tick as it’s the engine room of the team.
A signing in the middle of the park will make United impossible to play against, and who that signing is is clear and obvious.
Man Utd’s midfield needs fixing
Ruben Amorim has chopped and changed his whole team from game to game, making many changes as he not only tries to keep everyone fit but also sees what each player has to offer.
The midfield combination has been a much talked about topic under him, with his success at Sporting built on the bedrock of two energetic midfielders able to cover a lot of ground.
Coincidentally, he found one perfect midfielder already waiting for him in Manuel Ugarte, who rose to prominence in Europe under Amorim in Portugal.
That has proven correct, too, with Ugarte shining for United ever since Amorim walked through the door at Old Trafford.
The question of who his ideal partner can be is one that needs answering, though, with no outstanding prospect emerging from the current crop.
Kobbie Mainoo is the clear standout candidate for the long term but he’s struggling to adjust to the new demands of a new system and at 19, that’s perfectly understandable.
He shouldn’t even have been an untouchable at United at his age but so bad was the rest of the team that he was forced into a saviour role earlier than necessary.
He’s no longer that under Amorim but it also means that a proper, first-team-ready signing is needed in midfield, and in the form of Atalanta’s Ederson, they have the perfect player.
Ederson should be Man Utd’s chief transfer target
Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed United’s interest in Ederson which is well-timed because the Atalanta midfielder is a dream fit at United.
The Brazilian is one of the most hard-working midfielders in all of Europe and partnering him alongside Manuel Ugarte would make United impossible to play against.
Amorim has repeatedly stressed United’s struggled with stopping transitions as one of his major problems to fix and he’s managed to do a lot of it with just Ugarte.
With two energetic runners in midfield, that problem will go away completely and allow Bruno Fernandes to play further forward, where he’s at his devastating best.
Mainoo can transition to a rotation role where he comes off the bench and starts the odd game to continue his development and learning in a new system.
In the Champions League this season, Ederson has run an average of 11.4 Kms/game, a stat that would put him right near the top of the current United squad.
Most importantly, it’s not all empty running either. The Brazilian is adept at breaking up the play and stopping attacks with well-timed tackles, a la Manuel Ugarte.
Just like Ugarte, he also has an underrated ball-playing ability that is not talked about often because of how good he is off the ball!
A midfield block of Manuel Ugarte-Ederson-Bruno Fernandes-Amad will have the perfect trinity of power, pace, and precision, making United impossible to play against.
United already like him and have started scouting him. Now is the time to lay the groundwork for a move next summer.
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