This summer is a hugely important one for United. All of a sudden City look like a well oiled machine with a few bad apples that they will get rid of. No doubt they will improve their squad with stellar signings along the lines of Hazard & Falcao. This makes it even more important that United make the right signings. They don’t need to be highly priced superstars, but they definitely need to improve the first team and not just the squad.
With this in mind I thought I
would take a look at specific positions where we need to strengthen.I think an
obvious area of weakness is at full-back, particularly LB, something which we
have blogged about before on the site. Evra’s lack of form & Fabio definitely
going on loan next season we are worryingly short at LB. And with Fryers yet to
sign a new deal and clearly not ready for a first team spot a LB is a vital
signing for next season.
There are a number of players
linked including Jordi Alba (Valencia), Aly Cissohko (Lyon) & Leighton
Baines (Everton). Of the three, Baines is the most likely to Join. Alba seems
to be on Barcelona’s Radar, and being Catalan born, I can’t see him choosing us
over them. Cissohko was signed for £11m so would likely cost in the region of
£18 – 20m. Having seen him play only twice, I wouldn’t want to comment on his
quality but I would think that valuation would price us out.
This leaves Baines. He’s a proven
Premier League defender who has matured into a quality player in the last three
seasons. His defensive work is excellent and his positional play has improved
in the last 18 months. He’s definitely developed into a top PL defender. Going
forward he is very good, something that I think is particularly important at
United, and he provides a number of assists throughout the season (in the last
two years he has 16 assists & 12 goals).
Overall I think he would, at the
very least, challenge Evra for that first team spot. On current form he would
make it his own. As a bonus, his set piece delivery is excellent, and
importantly, consistent and would give us a goal-scoring threat from free-kicks
as well as dangerous deliveries from corners.
In terms of value, there seems to
be an acceptance that Baines would cost around £10m which would represent
excellent value in my opinion. However, I would have thought that anything up
to £12m would be good business but these figures are purely based on tabloid
speculation.
At the age of 27, Baines is no
youth player or prospect. We would be signing a polished player but I think one
who is constantly improving & developing his game in the way Giggs has
always done throughout his career. His age also means that Fabio’s long-term
future at United isn’t compromised.
Overall Baines would represent an
excellent bit of business for United and I firmly believe the step up in class
wouldn’t phase him. He has seemed assured in his few international caps so far
and that experience will stand him in good stead. No-one can predict what will
happen in the summer but i would be pleased if Baines were to join.
Look out for my next few articles
on other possible United signings.
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