Now that Manchester United have wrapped up a big money deal for Juan Mata, the world is watching with baited breath to see what David Moyes does next.
Will he double down and buy another creative talent, or will he seek to add a bit more steel to his midfield, in the hope that this will free up the likes of Mata and Adnan Januzaj to work their magic further up the pitch?
Having seen the club struggle to break down even the most pedestrian of defences, I’m sure Manchester United fans will favour the first option. But the second option may hold some merit too.
‘But isn’t that what Marouane Fellaini was signed for?’, I hear you cry. I’m not sure I buy that. I’m not sure that anybody knows what Marouane Fellaini was signed for. He could end up playing as a centre-back, a centre-forward or as an attacking midfielder.
In other words, the defensive midfield position is still up for grabs at Manchester United. Whilst Michael Carrick often plays in front of the back-four, he doesn’t have the strength, or tackling ability that helps teams like United to dominate possession.
FC Porto midfielder, Fernando, on the other hand, has the physical presence, tackling ability and positional sense to carry the fight for this Manchester United midfield. Luckily enough, The Mirror claim that he’s a ‘major target’ for David Moyes who hopes to wrap up a deal whilst the January transfer window is still open.
The Brazilian ace has been a major part of Porto’s midfield since 2007 and was a big favourite of Andre Villas-Boas (though let’s not hold that against him).
The Mirror suggests that since his current contract is set to expire in the summer, Manchester United could look to move for a deal at a reduced fee and thus avoid any competition for his signature that could arise during the next transfer window.
That sounds like a smart move to me. He’s one of the best players in his position and would be a real asset for Manchester United.
Sure, he wouldn’t excite fans in the same way that Juan Mata has, but he could serve just as important a purpose. In fact, he could be the key to Manchester United getting the most out of their new Spanish signing.
What’s your take? Would Porto’s Fernando be a good option for Manchester United?
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