Manchester United are desperately in need of some creativity and tenacity in midfield: with Juan Mata being erratic as always, Bastian Schweinsteiger being off colour, Michael Carrick ageing and Louis van Gaal refusing to use Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin consistently, it is only obvious that United are struggling at 6th position in the league, and out of both tiers of European competitions. For most games this season, the Red Devils have failed to develop attacks quickly, letting the opposition team get into shape and defend well. As such, the need of the hour is to get a young, dynamic midfielder who can pick forward passes and retain possession of the ball when asked for it. Matt Richie has been making the headlines a lot lately, with the AFC Bournemouth player particularly impressing one and all with his industry and on-the-ball ability. He is one of the reasons why Eddie Howe’s team have gained attention for their style of play and find themselves safe from the relegation zone, which is a huge achievement given their meagre resources.

Playing Style:

The super Scot likes playing those clever one-twos which open up tight defences, and also has a penchant for scoring long rangers. He has 3 goals and 6 assists this season, from 29 appearances and most of them have come from the right-hand side of midfield where he likes to take on players, take shots and cut in. He is also an excellent set piece taker and provides good threat while attacking the aerial balls. Besides, he also has extraordinary work rate, and has clocked nearly 200 kilometres this season.

Fan View:

If van Gaal would have bought him in the winter as a temporary fix, Matt would have been perfect. The summer, however, isn’t really the time to go in for someone like him, who is unproven and will come with the pressure of succeeding the likes of Paul Scholes and Roy Keane. But, the talented star if keeps on improving, then he would be a good fit for the Red Devils.