Whilst Arsenal are getting a lot of flack for not having brought in enough defensive recruits over the summer, Manchester United are in a far worse position. And given how much money the club spent during the last transfer window, I can’t help but feel that The Red Devils are more deserving of criticism.
Louis Van Gaal had a decent number of pre-season games to assess the weaknesses within his squad. He noted that his team lacked balance, but did very little to replace Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, who both left Old Trafford during the summer. Marcos Rojo was drafted in, but he’s thus far been unconvincing.
With all this in mind, Manchester United fans are likely to be waiting with baited breath for the transfer window to re-open in January. This will provide them with all the opportunity they need to fix their defense.
The British Press are already working over time to link The Red Devils to some viable options. The Metro recently ran an article suggesting that United are keen to bring Gerard Pique back to Old Trafford. What a story that would be!
Pique left Old Trafford back in 2008 as part of a £5m move to the Nou Camp. I think it’s fair to say that Barcelona have got good value from the deal. During his time in Spain, Pique has picked up four league titles, two Champions League victories and two Copa del Reys. Not a bad return, eh?
The Spaniard has recently signed a new deal with Barcelona, but it’s not clear that he’s a first-choice centre-back anymore. Luis Enrique seems to prefer Javier Mascherano and Jeremy Mathieu, which has seen Pique’s game-time limited to three appearances thus far this season.
He’s only 27-years-old, but he’s highly experienced (66 caps for Spain, 269 appearances for Barcelona). He’s good in the air, strong in the tackle and positionally sound. I’d argue that this makes him a smart target for Manchester United. Let’s just hope that Louis Van Gaal agrees.
What’s your take? Could Manchester United lure Gerard Pique back to Old Trafford?
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