Manchester United are believed to be in the market for a midfielder this January and signing Amadou Onana could be the best choice.
The midfield situation at Old Trafford looks more and more tenuous as this season progresses. Therefore in a bid to improve on the ageing Casemiro, multiple names have been linked with Manchester United.
The likes of Amadou Onana, Andre and Joao Neves are just a few of the exciting names Erik ten Hag could have at his disposal if all goes to plan.
But these players are all very different and would offer us a wide range of quality and experience, so who is the right choice for this current United side if Casemiro is sold? The standout answer to that question, is Everton’s Onana.
What would Onana bring to United?
22-year-old Onana is a name which has consistently been mentioned in conjunction with a move to a top quality team. Full of confidence, Onana believes he is ready for a top move, as he recently stated: “I am truly convinced that there are no upper limits for me.”
Already a full Belgium international, Onana isn’t a prospect in the same way Neves or Andre are. He is still far from his prime but is Premier League experienced and is a dominant figure in Sean Dyche’s midfield.
Onana stands currently at 6ft 4in, which would be another bonus for United who are severely lacking a dominant physical presence in midfield as Casemiro declines.
He isn’t just tall though as he is also mobile and strong along with excellent technical ability – his passing and progressive dribbling being a real sight to behold.
For all these reasons he is probably a better choice for the current stage this United side are in.
Why Onana is a better option than Joao Neves
Don’t get me wrong, Neves is the future world beating midfielder who we should be signing but he isn’t ready to hold the weight of the club, especially given it seems likely Kobbie Mainoo will soon be a starter.
Neves would be a brilliant signing, along with Onana but he simply isn’t ready to arrive as a starter just yet. United have been scouting Neves recently and will be impressed with what they’ve seen – he’s a brilliant player – but hopefully a whoever is in charge come January can see that Neves will need time, making Onana a better option right now.
There is still so much to play for this season and bringing in Onana would instantly improve the team as we know he can play in the Premier League already.
Neves is a longer term signing and admittedly, if we missed out it would be a sore miss. But that decision is why we need to set up a high level football based team.
As for right now though, at a possible price of £50m Onana is the best choice for us.
Manchester United’s budget for January 2024
Manchester United’s financial situation is relatively unclear right now after much was made of troubles in the summer. But Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert hinted that if Sir Jim Ratcliffe invests, there could be as much as £90m available to Ten Hag.
However, if that is the budget, it’s unlikely we spend that whole fee on a midfielder, as centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo continues to be linked at the possible expense of Raphael Varane.
It is highly likely there will be sales in January which could supplement the incoming business for United so the true extent of budget is not currently known beyond speculation.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/YxX8Orp