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Manchester United head into the festive period full of little cheer or joy. The Red Devils now sit eighth in the league table after a hugely disappointing start to the campaign.
Erik ten Hag‘s side are no longer in Europe and have won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions.
If the Dutchman wasn’t already feeling the pressure then he certainly will after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham.
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This “blindingly obvious” replacement for Erik ten Hag could finally be the right man to take Manchester United forward.
The clock is surely quickly ticking on his time at Old Trafford but fortunately, the January transfer window has arrived at just the right time. A productive month in the market could well save United’s season and indeed his job.
Man United transfer news – A midfield hunt on the way
When it comes to improving the Man United squad in January, Ten Hag should be looking to reshape most areas of his team. However, he could certainly do with some more solidity in midfield.
A move for budding Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram has been linked with the Red Devils aiming to add a bit more bite to the centre of the pitch alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Co. However, if they want to make a statement then acquiring one of the best young prospects in Europe would surely go down well.
The latest on their pursuit of 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren came a few weeks ago with reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, suggesting that Liverpool, Man United and Barcelona were battling to secure the teenager’s signature from Royal Antwerp.
Any move could well be a bargain one with Vermeeren expected to earn his side around €25m (£22m) from his prospective sale in 2024.
How Arthur Vermeeren compares to Kobbie Mainoo
Ten Hag is already blessed with one of the finest young midfielders in the Premier League in Mainoo.
The teenager burst onto the scene at Goodison Park a few weeks ago as he earned his maiden Premier League start at Goodison Park. He “put on a masterclass” in the words of reporter Liam Canning, even outshining that memorable goal from Alejandro Garnacho.
Mainoo’s game vs Everton |
|
---|---|
Minutes played |
72 |
Pass success |
34/41 (83%) |
Touches |
57 |
Dribble success |
2/3 (67%) |
Accurate long balls |
2/4 |
Tackles won |
100% |
Interceptions |
2 |
Recoveries |
3 |
Duels won |
5 |
Stats via Fotmob. |
However, in Vermeeren, United could arguably land a bigger and brighter talent than their current academy darling.
Why? Well, for starters, Vermeeren already has a full season of Belgium Pro League football under his belt. You may well argue that the standard isn’t particularly high but let us remind you this is the league where the likes of Youri Tielemans, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne learnt their trades as young footballers.
A midfielder, the teen has been cooking up a storm in his homeland over the last 18 months, notably being described as “one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig. Fine praise indeed for a youngster who’s also been noted as the ‘next Andres Iniesta‘ in some quarters.
But how do Mainoo and Vermeeren compare? Well, they’re both adept technically and possess a high amount of discipline and maturity in the centre of the park. That latter quality is hard to sum up using statistics but the rest of their respective games can be quantified nicely.
Vermeeren vs Mainoo: 2023/24 League Seasons |
||
---|---|---|
Stat (per 90) |
Vermeeren |
Mainoo |
Progressive Carries |
1.06 |
1.11 |
Progressive Passes |
7.34 |
2.50 |
Expected Goals (xG) |
0.08 |
0.01 |
Pass Success Rate |
85.5% |
87% |
Key Passes |
1.17 |
0.28 |
Passes into final 3rd |
5.11 |
2.78 |
Shot-creating Actions |
2.29 |
1.11 |
Tackles Won |
1.22 |
1.39 |
Tackles & Interceptions |
3.09 |
3.33 |
Touches |
62.7 |
57.2 |
Stats via FBRef. |
As you can see, while Mainoo is more proficient defensively, it’s Vermeeren who’s more likely to get on the ball and make things happen. He’s truly exciting, making a remarkably high level of progressive passes per 90 minutes in comparison, supplying more balls into the final third and boasting a higher number of shot-creating actions – moments that directly lead to a shot on goal.
You may well argue that United need more high-quality experience in their team but as Mainoo has shown, if you’re good enough, it doesn’t matter how old you are. The thought of pairing these two players together is a mouthwatering one.
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