A short while ago a 1-1 draw against Chelsea wouldn’t have been considered good enough for Manchester United. It’s funny how things change. United fans are right to be pleased with the result. The fact that The Red Devils were able to compete with a top Premier League club should be considered a significant step forward.
After all, Manchester United haven’t been on Chelsea’s level for quite some time now. They’re already nine points behind the Premier League leaders and we’re only 9 games into the season.
If Manchester United want to improve further, they’re going to need to fix their defense. Louis Van Gaal spent big on attacking options in the summer, but failed to bolster his defense in any meaningful way. Injuries have since exacerbated the situation and it’s now clear that United will have to fix this issue during the January transfer window.
This brings me to The Star‘s claim that Manchester United are considering making a move for Ryan Shawcross, a man who left Old Trafford six years ago in search of regular football. He found that at Stoke City, where he’s gone from strength-to-strength.
He’s put his horror tackle on Aaron Ramsey behind him (luckily, so has the Welshman) and he’s now renowned for his tenacious defensive play. He’s a passionate individual who works hard, gets stuck in and often ends up winning the ball back. He’s come a long way since his move away from Manchester United. It’s easy to see why Louis Van Gaal may wish to bring him back.
The aforementioned source claims that Shawcross could be available for £12m. That’s a fair price for a player with a wealth of Premier League experience. At 27-years-old he’s already made nearly 300 appearances for Stoke City. He’s a leader and a good defender. If he really is available for that price, he’s worth snapping up.
Let’s just hope that he’s not the only one player brought in during the January transfer window.
What’s your take? Is Ryan Shawcross the right man for Manchester United? Should he return back to Old Trafford?
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