Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are considering the possibility of making a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, as a replacement for Michael Carrick, as per the reports from the Spanish outlet Donbalon.
The Red Devils have been simply sensational in the last two months and their brilliant form has been aptly reflected through a nine-game winning run in all competitions. A big chunk of credit to this form must go to midfielder Michael Carrick, whose return to the starting line-up has unsurprisingly coincided with this incredible form.
Even when Paul Scholes was on his decline, Carrick was running the show in the centre of the park. The 35-year-old is still doing the same, although his time at the club slowly seems to be winding down.
Niguez is a player who is just starting his career at 22 years of age. Yet, he already has won the Europa League, Spanish Super Cup, Spanish Cup, and the European under 19 Championship. He is a player who likes a short pass, unlike Carrick who dominates the game with his long-range passing ability. Yet, the 22-year-old will provide plenty of defensive strength which will allow Jose Mourinho to unleash Ander Herrera in an offensive role. So far, the Spaniard has been largely utilised as someone who can cover for Carrick, as the former England international does not have the pacey legs.
It is interesting that United are being linked with Niguez considering that the player signed a new contract only in May 2016. His contract does not expire until the summer of 2021, putting Atletico Madrid in an extremely strong position as far as rejecting any offers from interested clubs. The Spanish club will not entertain any offer below £35 million for the defensive midfielder. Such a move would only increase Manchester United’s outlay in the transfer window.
While Atletico Madrid’s Niguez has started 11 league matches this season, he has been one of their better players in the last few weeks. He played a starring role in the 1-0 win over Las Palmas by scoring one of his two goals this season.
Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, the club has spent more than £450 million in revamping the squad. Even after the brilliant run, the club are still outside the top four, albeit not by a huge margin. Jose Mourinho has a chance to rectify this when United take on Liverpool this weekend. It will be one of the epic battles that finally announces the arrival of players like Paul Pogba on the big stage in the Premier League. The world’s most expensive midfielder is yet to make himself stand out in a big game, although he has been in exceptional form of late.
