How many times last season did Manchester United lose possession before being ripped apart by a rapid-fire counter attack?
It was a trend which begun from day one – Wolves tearing through Erik ten Hag’s paper-thin midfield on the opening day – and continued until May.
With Casemiro clearly no longer the old ball-winning force of old and Sofyan Amrabat struggling with the intensity of the English game, Manchester United looked vulnerable almost every time the opposition picked up the ball and drove forward with pace and purpose.
That in itself goes some way to explaining why Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana remains a target heading into the final month of the summer window.
Sky Sports say that Fofana is one of a number of midfielders Man United are considering, alongside Paris Saint-Germain enforcer Manuel Ugarte and Real Sociedad controller Martin Zubimendi.
But it is not only United who are crying out for a tough-tackling ground-covering, athletic all-rounder in the Fofana mould.
Manchester United in Youssouf Fofana race
AC Milan struggled with similar issues in the heart of the pitch last term.
And legendary manager Fabio Capello feels that – if the Rossoneri are to bounce back and close the considerable gap between themselves and bitter rivals Inter during 2023/24 – Fofana is precisely the sort of reinforcement required.
“If Milan sign (defender Strahinja) Pavlovic and Fofana, they will make two important signings that will be added to a striker like Alvaro Morata, capable of scoring goals with a certain consistency, but also of giving a hand when not in possession,” Capello tells Gazzetta dello Sport.
“In addition to bringing in the new signings, (new head coach Paulo) Fonseca will have to find that tactical balance that was missing last year.
“Every time the Rossoneri lost the ball, the opponents were dangerous or even scored. Leao is a great player with the ball at his feet, but he doesn’t cover much when others attack and his team-mates are somehow called upon to fill in.
“That’s why Fofana would be really useful.”
‘Every time they lost the ball, the opponents were dangerous’; a problem that will sound very familiar indeed to a Man United fanbase who watched through their fingers as Casemiro and Amrabat trudged from one end to the other like they were running through treacle.
Fofana, still only 25 and with his best years ahead of him, won possession in the midfield third more than any other Ligue 1 player since the start of 2022/23, per WhoScored.
If Erik ten Hag is serious about making United ‘the best transition team in the world’, then a signing like Fofana could be the most transformative addition to the Red Devils roster this summer.
France ace plans to leave Monaco this summer
Comparisons have been drawn with compatriot and former Chelsea talisman N’Golo Kante.
Fofana, meanwhile, is almost certain to leave Monaco before September arrives. The player has confirmed as much himself, his contract expiring in the summer of 2025 and Fofana seemingly keen on a fresh start.
“My future? I have spoken about it with the hierarchy. (What I want) isn’t a secret,” Fofana, a member of France’s Euro 2024 squad, tells Get France Football News.
“We had exchanges and they agreed to accompany me in this new stage (looking for a club). We were in agreement that we would accompany each other in this process in which everyone should be a winner, be it me or the club.”
According to Gianluca di Marzio, however, Monaco are still holding out for £30 million. Milan have seen an opening bid of around half that fee dismissed by the Principality club.
And, after losing out to United for Joshua Zirkzee, the Rossoneri will be praying that history does not repeat itself.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
