Why Man United should move for Romain Faivre to replace Juan Mata
According to claims from French outlet Le 10 Sport (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United are set to battle Paris Saint-Germain for highly-rated Stade Brestois midfielder Romain Faivre.
The 22-year-old has been among the surprise packages in Ligue 1 this term after joining Brest from Monaco for a paltry £450,000 last summer. Faivre has amassed 4 goals and 3 assists in 19 league appearances so far, guiding his club to 11th place in the standings.
The attacking midfielder’s impressive breakout season in France has put new PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino on red alert. (Le 10 Sport h/t Daily Mail)
As per the report, PSG have been running close checks on the starlet, although Man United are ready to scupper their plans. However, it is understood that a January move away from Brest is unlikely to materialise for Faivre, who signed a new long-term contract until 2025 back in December.
Profile
Faivre, who is of partial Algerian heritage, spent time in the youth ranks of Tours and Racing before joining Monaco in 2017. However, he featured largely for the club’s reserve side and made just 4 first-team appearances before sealing a move to top-flight rivals Brest this past summer.
The left-footed starlet hasn’t looked back and has earned rave reviews for his impressive breakthrough in Ligue 1 this term.
The Man United attacking midfield
Meanwhile, Man United are currently well-stocked in the attacking midfield department with Bruno Fernandes very much the star man in the No.10 role. Donny van de Beek has found regular minutes hard to come by since his move to Old Trafford from Ajax.
But the Dutchman still remains a key part of the club’s plans moving forward. That’s because Paul Pogba is likely to be sold in the summer after refusing to sign a new contract beyond 2022.
Juan Mata has continued to chip in with valuable contributions as a squad player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But with the Spaniard nearing his twilight at 32, the Red Devils should have one eye on young alternatives to replace him. Jesse Lingard is no longer in the manager’s plans while Daniel James has also failed to grab his opportunities.
To sum it up, Man United’s immediate priority should be to bring in an out-and-out winger but signing another midfielder would still make sense in the long run. Romain Faivre has shown great potential at Brest in Ligue 1 this season. The France U-21 starlet has excelled in a wide variety of roles in the attack.
Mata is currently the rotation option for Solskajer across United’s creative lines and Faivre would play a similar role if the Red Devils do end up striking a deal for him. The youngster’s ability to deliver goals and assists coupled with his left-footed nature makes him a player in a mould similar to the Spaniard.
Moreover, it is clear from Faivre’s heap map in Ligue 1 that he has the work rate to complement his creativity in the final third. Such a blend of qualities should make it easier for him to make a transition to the highly-competitive surroundings of the Premier League in the future.
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Verdict
Romain Faivre isn’t the finished article just yet but he still has plenty of room for development at 22. The Frenchman has been absolutely ripping it up in his homeland and represents an excellent long-term option for Man United in the market.
