Abhranil Roy
Manchester United’s higher management having finalised a multi-million-pound deal to revamp the club’s academy and scouting system to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, and the focus is now to attract top young talent to the club. Adam Ounas is one such name, the Girondins de Bordeaux winger having performed extremely well in his debut season. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season for the French club, making 25 appearances and scoring six goals.United have been scouting the midfielder since the beginning of 2016 and are preparing to firm up their interest with a summer bid.According to Le 10 Sport, Monaco are also interested in Ounas but Bordeaux are expected to reject any offers from a rival French club.
Strengths:
Despite having played only 788 minutes this season, Adam has already drawn comparisons with Riyad Mahrez, in terms of their style of play. His low centre of gravity gives him more room to turn, and he is not only a great dribbler but also has terrific ball control. Moreover, he has also shown maturity with his passing, as he always looks to make the correct pass when in possession, which clearly shows he isn’t just a show pony. Moreover, when the ball is lost, he drops deeper into the midfield.Too often, wingers in his mould – and there’s been a few in France – have the mindset that it’s a one-man show and they’re the star; he doesn’t appear to have that problem.
Weaknesses:
His biggest weakness is that he isn’t physically very commanding, and he will need to bulk up if he is to address his shot power on his left foot. Though he’ll never be Yaya Touré strong, this area of concern should obviously improve over time, working with strengthening coaches and spending time in the weight-room.
Future?
It is obvious that Adam is indeed a very fine prospect, and United could do with an upgrade over the lackadaisical Jesse Lingard on the left wing, so I would recommend them to go for him. However, they may be forced to wait another year as Bordeaux are convinced a further season in Ligue 1 is essential for the player’s development.
