Having signed one of the Premier League’s most naturally gifted playmakers, I’m sure that David Moyes will feel that he’s solved Manchester United’s creativity issues.
Whether he’s right or wrong, Juan Mata will go a long way towards improving the club’s performances and will hopefully drive the team up the Premier League table over the coming months.
But I hope his arrival doesn’t paper over some of the other issues prevalent within this squad.
Take for instance his defenders, who tend to range from ‘too young and inexperienced’, to ‘too old and injury-prone’. There’s no clear middle ground here and I’m worried that this could end up costing the club.
I like Nemanja Vidic as much as the next person, but the fact that he’s a constant injury doubt makes life pretty difficult for Manchester United. Consistency is an important part of forming a viable centre-back partnership and all the chopping and changing has slowed down this process significantly.
It’s also worth pondering: how long does Rio Ferdinand have left at the very top level? He’s now 35-years-old and isn’t as sprightly as he used to be. Is he still the kind of player that Manchester United can rely upon?
Whatever the answer to that question, it’s clear that signing a centre-back would be a smart move.
With that in mind, I was pleased to see The Mirror link Manchester United to a move for Villarreal’s highly regarded defender, Mateo Musacchio.
Over the last couple of seasons he’s leaped over the likes of Ivan Marcano and Gonzalo Rodriquez in Villarreal’s pecking order and established himself as one of the first names on the team-sheet.
He’s now made 126 appearances for the La Liga side and has even earned two caps for the Argentina international team. At 23-years-old, his reputation continues to grow and it’s clear that he’s blossoming into a world-class defensive talent.
Naturally, this kind of talent doesn’t come cheap, as his agent has been keen to point out. Check out these quotes, that come courtesy of The Mirror:
“The player’s contract expires in 2018 and his market value is approximately £16.5m. He is a very young player. For now it will be difficult to transfer him.
The player would be interested in projects like Fiorentina, but we are waiting for concrete proposals in the future. We do not have any kind of scheduled meeting with their officials.”
That’s a pretty precise assessment of his market value, isn’t it? With competition for his signature gathering, now looks like the right time for Manchester United to make their move. Who knows, maybe he could be the man to provide David Moyes with the defensive stability he needs.
What’s your take? Should Manchester United swoop in for this La Liga star?
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