For most Manchester United fans, the January transfer window can’t come quickly enough. Yes, their club spent big during the summer transfer window, but they also spent carelessly, without a thought for maintaining the balance within their squad.
Now Louis Van Gaal can call upon some of the world’s best attacking footballers, but he can barely string together a workable back-four. It’s not exactly ideal, is it? Unfortunately, The Red Devils can do very little except wait for the transfer market to re-open. When that happens, Van Gaal will be able to swoop in and make some changes.
This brings me to The Metro’s claim that United are currently in the market for Stoke City’s leading man, Ryan Shawcross. I wonder how fans will take this news. Will they turn their nose up as a player who has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years?
Now that Shawcross is 27-years-old, he’s put his horror tackle against Aaron Ramsey behind him and he’s started to deliver a series of consistent performances. It’s not that he’s afraid to rush into tackles, he’s just more in control than he was before.
Shawcross has also grown in stature when he’s on the ball. He looks more confident and his distribution from the back has grown more and more accurate. It would be odd to see him at a top club, but I don’t think it would be a bad fit. If Shawcross was given time and the backing of his manager, I’m sure he’d come good.
Manchester United have a history of signing workman like defenders like Wes Brown and John O’Shea and getting a lot out of them. I don’t see how signing Shawcross would be any different.
Stoke City won’t want to let their main man go, but Manchester United have the financial fortitude to force them to sell.
Some might see it as a step backwards, but Louis Van Gaal has to do something. Ryan Shawcross could well be the solution that nobody saw coming.
What’s your take? Would you like to see Manchester United sign Ryan Shawcross?
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