Should Manchester United break the bank for Barcelona star Raphinha?
Manchester United have been looking to bring in a star player in their roster, as Ruben Amorim & Co. want to add more firepower in their front line.
United already added Benjamin Sesko upfront with Cunha and Mebumo on either wing in the recently concluded summer transfer window. And while Sesko has Zirkzee to compete with, quite similar to how Mbeumo has Amad, now United want to add that undeniable competition on the left flank.
And that is where the Manchester Reds have been linked with a move to sign Barcelona winger Raphinha.
The Brazilian has been possibly one of the best forwards on the continent since Hansi Flick took over the reins at Camp Nou. And while he only just signed new terms with his current employers, any move for him would be a statement piece in Ruben Amorim’s project at Carrington.
Here the question is not whether “Is Raphinha good?” We all know he is. But given how United will have to make a massive investment (€120m to €150m) if they were to sign Raphinha, the question changes suddenly to whether bringing him to M16 is the best use of United’s biggest allocation of capital in the current squad cycle.
With Raphinha, you get another elite presence in the squad. Someone who is capable of carrying the ball on the outside as well as on the inside. He has that ability to create consistent chances out of nothing. And more importantly, he has proven his credentials in the English top tier.
How can Raphinha fit in at M16 under Amorim?
Amorim plays in a 3-4-3/4-2-3-1 hybrid system, and this is where you can slot in Raphinha as a touchline winger or even an inside forward, given that his work rate and pressing abilities can be used in his systematic press. Moreover, he gives that end product. The Brazilian will come after a series of monster years in Spain; he suddenly demands that attention from defenders, and that ends up raising the floor of the system, especially in tough games.
His addition would also give serious mid-game tactical flexibility. Having Raphinha, you can have him switch wings in the middle of games or have him play off a central striker or maybe drop deeper to help in build-up. And in bigger games, you have him give that unpredictability which United have lacked from the outside.
Current squad map at Carrington; does Raphinha make sense?
United brought in Mbeumo on that right flank in the recently concluded summer window. And then Amorim has Amad and other hybrid options down that channel. Then coming down the middle, there is Sesko with Zirkee competing. On the left, you’ve got Cunha as an undisputed option. So in a sense, you could say United are quite stacked when it comes to the offensive side of things.
Given the current roster at M16, this side still needs a new midfielder, someone who has that ball-winning and controlling ability in the middle of the park. And then, given the lack of trust in the current goalkeeping hierarchy, you also need a new GK.
Given the current needs, if United are to spend “galactico money”, the needle should move where you’re furthest from elite, arguably GK/CM, before a winger.
Speaking about Galáctico money, is it worth spending such a sum on Raphinha?
Raphinha is already twenty-eight (28), and spending the reported €120m to €150m on his signatures means you are forking out a fee on someone who basically has no resale value. This is a pure United type singing off late where you’re buying peak years on top wages. But if that is the case, it should be to bring that ability to deliver titles, not just vibes. But at the moment, given where the current squad is, it doesn’t make sense…
You can probably fund two high-impact starters with that fee (e.g., a GK + CM) for something similar in terms of fee and wages. And then lift the spine of the whole team, not just the flank.
WAFU Opinion
We would all day say yes to Raphinha the player, but then that fee doesn’t make sense to us.
At the suggested price of €120-150m, United should start being smart instead and prioritise the spine and try to bring in a younger and cost-balanced winger instead.
Would you take Raphinha to United at that fee? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.