If you’re looking for a talented player to fill a gap in your team, it looks like Borussia Dortmund is the best place to go.
Nobody seems to know this better than Sir Alex Ferguson. After all, the Manchester United maestro has already snapped up former Dortmund star, Shinji Kagawa last summer and has been strongly linked to Dortmund forward Robert Lewandowski.
But there are many other talented players who have been linked to moves away from the club. Take for instance: rock-steady defenders, Neven Subotic and Matt Hummels, speedy midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, talented youngster Mario Gotze and ace forward Marco Reus.
There’s such a rich vein of talent running through Dortmund, there’s little wonder that many of their players are attracting interest around Europe.
But back to Manchester United, according to the Daily Mail, Manchester United have their eyes set on an as yet unmentioned Dortmund star: Sven Bender.
The young German is well thought of in the Bundesliga and at International level and certainly has a big future ahead of him. At 23-years-old, he’s just about to enter the best years of his career (though injuries are certainly holding him back) and his next contract will be his biggest one yet.
He’s best known for his energetic defensive performances. He protects the back-four remarkably well, combining intelligence and energy to ensure he’s always in the right place at the right time. He’s a great tackler, has genuine physical presence and the ability to hold up the ball.
It’s thought that Sir Alex sees Bender as a foil for the more attacking minded Michael Carrick. The idea being, that playing a more defensive minded player alongside Carrick will free him up to get further up the pitch and to exert more influence on a game.
Michael Carrick has been in fine form this season and anything that can be done to keep this up is a good thing. But it’s worth noting that Bender can move the ball about too. He fits in nicely in Dortmund’s technically-proficient midfield. This means he can move the ball about quickly and accurately and kick start attacks.
He’d cost Sir Alex around £15m and for that price, Sir Alex will be overseeing a real bargain. It’s a move that just seems to make sense on a number of levels. Let’s hope that United’s Dortmund raids aren’t over quite yet.
What’s your take? Should Sir Alex be keeping tabs on Sven Bender?
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