Manchester United players celebrate after a goal. (Getty Images)
If it wasn’t obvious during Manchester United’s 3-3 draw at Bramall Lane last month, it is now after the Everton game – the club have some serious problems in the midfield.
Scott McTominay’s absence has exposed their shortcomings in that area of the pitch, with Andreas Pereira and Fred paired together against Sheffield United and Aston Villa. United lacked control in both games, highlighting the need for reinforcements.
Paul Pogba has been plagued by injuries and Brazilian midfielder Fred has not entirely lit up the Premier League. Nemanja Matic has been inconsistent this season.
Here are 2 players who could solve United’s midfield woes in January.
The whole Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United saga was probably the most played out last summer. In the end, the Portuguese stayed put at Sporting Lisbon and is flourishing in his home country.
However, the Red Devils are paying the price for not signing a creative midfielder. Apart from Pogba’s chance creation, things have been very dull in their midfield. Scott McTominay has done well defensively but offers little going forward.
Goalscoring midfielders are one of the toughest commodities to find in the game and in Fernandes, Sporting have one of the best in the business. His driving runs from the midfield make him a nightmare for opposition defenders and his impressive consistency hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Fernandes can influence games in a number of different ways, which makes him a really dangerous midfielder, with a good mix of attributes.
Having scored 32 goals and assisted 18 last season for Lisbon, he is the dynamic central midfielder United are craving for. Not only can he create more chances but he has that thunderous ability to score goals as well.
Another player United should go all out to sign is German star Havertz. He scored 20 goals for Leverkusen in all competitions last season is one of the hottest young talents in Germany.
According to the Express, Solskjaer is ready to join a host of top European clubs who want to lure the 20-year-old away from Leverkusen.
There are not many non-strikers who are 20 and have Havertz’s eye for goal. Technically, he is capable of scoring goals that few others could dream of, given his coordination and intelligence.
He is a game-changing talent with all the qualities to be an elite central attacking midfielder. Havertz scored a whopping 17 goals last season, which is an astounding total for any non-striker, especially a teenager.
While Havertz hasn’t been quite as unstoppable this season without Julian Brandt, he has still enjoyed a successful campaign thus far.
That said, signing him won’t be an easy task but United will have managed a serious coup if they sign him in January.