Manchester United have been linked with multiple midfielders in the ongoing winter transfer window as the Premiership giants look to add some depth and quality in the middle of the park in Ruben Amorim’s roster, and among the names linked with a move to Old Trafford, they can consider someone who has always been in contention in Sander Berge, given how he has always carried an abundance of potential since his time at Sheffield, but no big club move has ever materialised despite consistent performances and consistent links with a move to a big six side. He is more of a deep-lying midfielder who can also play in a box-to-box role, and he brings a few traits to the current side.
The Norwegian, given his physical frame, has the ability to dominate the midfield in duels (be it ground duels or aerial), and he is press resistant, who grinds along the second phase. The 27-year-old is also press resistant and is intelligent in his positioning off the ball. Moreover, there is also that composure when it comes to passing (from the deep as well as on the front foot).
Fulham and Marco Silva took him to Craven Cottage, where he has been filling the void left by Palhinha in the middle of the park. And with every performance, he has shown how he belongs among the best teams in the world, and this is where the links with a move to M16 come through…
A failed move before Berge moved to Fulham
Recently Berge opened up about how he was almost about to join Manchester United before his move to Craven Cottage materialised. Speaking in an interview with TV2, the Norwegian admitted to the fact that his agent spoke with the Manchester Reds and revealed that the discussions took place while he was still at Burnley. He said:
“I’ve entered eight or nine summer windows with uncertainty. From the end of the season until the transfer window closes, you live in no man’s land. It feels comfortable to know that you have landed where you thrive and develop. As a family, we are doing well there. It’s a bit crazy, but I was at Burnley training and the days went by as usual – even though things were happening behind the scenes. There were talks (with United), but not directly with me. My agent is the one who has that dialogue. But when Fulham came on the field, it became clear to me that it was like that was the right thing to do.”
That being said, now could be the time for United to capatilise and secure his signatures.
How can he fit into the current squad and system deployed by the Portuguese head coach?
United desperately needs a sense of balance in the midfield, especially if Casemiro departs this summer or if the Brazilian midfielder is phased out of the squad. And Berge brings a sense of regular ticking in terms of passing, given how he can recycle possession and control tempo (something United currently lack). He also brings that positional discipline which is ideal for sitting behind more adventurous players like Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount (something he also does at Fulham when he sits behind the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi).
If we look at the system that Ruben Amorim has deployed at United, he has continued with a 3-4-3 framework that he developed at Sporting Lisbon, which has a double pivot in midfield (and not a lone 6) with wing-backs providing width and allowing inside forwards to drift centrally. In terms of ball progression, it needs to be more vertical but patient, given how the sequences rely on intelligent pivots to break pressure lines. So if I am to put in a midfielder here, he must be press resistant, alongside being technically secure and disciplined in terms of his position.
With Berge, when he plays in a double pivot (usually configured as two “8.5s” or one 6 + 8 hybrid), the 27-year-old fits more as the right-sided anchor or controlling midfielder.
Given how he is naturally disciplined and has the capacity to read the danger quite early, in the current system under Amorim, he would be ideal for covering space, especially when full-backs or wide centre-backs are to step up. And one of the other things he is quite underappreciated for is his ability when it comes to vertical passes (something that the current Amorim’s system also demands from deep midfielders).
A logical addition…
Given the current situation at M16, he will not be solving the problems in the middle of the park alone, but he definitely possesses the ability to add some structure to the current midfield. He can act like a natural partner to someone like Mainoo or could also be looked at as an affordable replacement for someone like Casemiro (as I stated earlier). Moreover, he is someone who can bring some sense of control to what has been a chaotic midfield. That being said, he would now be maybe more pricey given his progress at Fulham, and then whether the Cottagers would be willing to sell him is a whole different question.
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Do you think Manchester United should go back in for Berge? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.