Pranav Nair
Youcef Atal touted as an excellent signing for Manchester United
According to Marcus Banks of MEN, Manchester United will do well to focus their attention on signing Youcef Atal.
The 24-year-old has impressed at Nice under the guidance of Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. The right-back has evolved into one of the best players in the league.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is United’s undisputed first-choice right-back. However, the Englishman too struggled to maintain his form throughout the whole season, with fatigue being a real threat.
Bringing in Atal would give United yet another dependable option to rotate with Wan-Bissaka. Moreover, despite his defensive prowess, the Englishman has struggled with attacking duties.
There should be no such problems with Atal. The Algerian is a maverick on the wing and was in fact deployed as a winger numerous times by Vieira.
According to the report, Atal averages 10.7dribbles per game. This is much better than Wan-Bissaka’s 3.7. Moreover, it completely leaves the likes of Brandon Williams (2.8) and Luke Shaw (2.3) in the mud. (h/t MEN)
Interestingly, Atal’s dribbling statistics are even higher than Sancho (6.4), Marcus Rashford (5.9), and Mason Greenwood (3.55). (h/t MEN)
As if that was not enough, Atal also averages more crosses per game than the likes of Sancho.
A two-footed player, the 24-year-old can be deployed with equal effectiveness on the other wing. Given the injuries to Shaw and the inexperience of Williams, Atal would be a viable option for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The youngster has also attracted attention from French champions PSG. Given his incredible statistics, it is hardly a wonder why.
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Atal has made 18 appearances for the Algerian national team, in which he has scored once. He was a part of the ‘The Greens’ squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.
The 24-year-old is an extremely versatile player who can fill in for United in a variety of positions. Signing him would help Solskajer cover a number of positions without compromising on the quality.
It is often said that a jack of all trades is a master of none. Given his versatility and ability to adapt, Atal surely gives the saying a run for its money.
