Keep, loan or replace: Whose Man Utd career will end this January?
By
Squawka News
9th Jan 2018
The January transfer window is open, and Jose Mourinho is one of the most ruthless managers around.
This in mind, we gave
AskFans’ Manchester United expert Simon Winter a list of players and asked who he’d keep, who he’d send out on loan, and who he’d replace entirely. Keep reading for what he had to say.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I can’t think of many Man Utd signings that have been as disappointing as Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The indifferent and erratic performances he put in during his first season at Old Trafford could be explained away by his gradual adaption to the English game and ultimately, there were enough moments of quality to forgive the frequent mishit passes and questionable close control.
But this season, the sporadic flashes of quality have all but disappeared and Mkhitaryan looks absolutely lost every time he pulls on a United shirt.
At 28, these are supposed to be Mkhitaryan’s peak years but he has been dreadfully inconsistent to say the least. With former club Borussia Dortmund sniffing around, United should offload the Armenian at the earliest opportunity.
Mourinho on Mkhitaryan: “I can only have six players on the bench and I try to have some balance on the bench.I had two defenders that can play in different areas, I have Ashley Young to cover the wing and wing backs position. [Ander] Herrera is a midfield player, Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] is a striker, [Marcus] Rashford is a second striker and a winger.
“To have Mkhi means I don’t have one of them and I believe the others deserve [the chance to play].” – Mourinho on the
Manchester United website, December 2017.
Key stat: Henrikh Mkhitaryan has scored just one league goal this season in 15 appearances. That’s a strike-rate per 90 minutes of 0.10.
Verdict: Replace
Marouane Fellaini
If the rumour mill is to be believed, then Fellaini has rejected the offer of a new contract at Man Utd and is keen to take on a new challenge elsewhere.
Successive United coaches have found Fellaini to be a useful squad member, though in reality, his limited skillset won’t be difficult to replace. The Belgian international enjoys something of a cult status at Old Trafford, though few if any United supporters will actually miss him if he leaves.
In many ways, Fellaini personifies just how far United have fallen in recent years and he remains a monument to the horrible David Moyes era. Any club with designs on winning the game’s biggest club trophies has to aspire to have a much higher calibre of player than the Belgian in their midfield.
Ultimately, the most pertinent question is: would Fellaini get a game at any of Europe’s current top sides? The answer is a resounding no.
Fellaini on his future: “This is my tenth season in England. Except for the very first at Manchester, I only knew good times. I’m still here. We have talked about it [leaving Man Utd]. The coach is someone who respects the decisions of his players.” – Fellaini told
Humo, December 2017.
Key stat: Marouane Fellaini has committed 2.37 fouls per 90 minutes this season, which places him ninth in the league for most fouls.
Verdict: Replace
Matteo Darmian
Heavily linked with a return to his homeland, Italian international Matteo Darmian looks to have slid down the pecking order of United’s defensive options in recent weeks.
Bizarrely, Italian champions and transfer market gurus Juventus look to be at the front of the queue for the 28 year old, though for the life of me I can’t see why.
Positionally, like all well coached Italian defenders, Darmian is adept, though the other parts of his game are regularly and horribly exposed in the physical domain of the Premier League.
Darmian looks completely petrified in possession, he is hesitant in the tackle and offers zero attacking threat from full or wing back. The former Torino defender might survive until the summer, but Mourinho’s axe is hovering just above him.
Darmian’s agent, Tullio Tinti, said: “I haven’t had any calls from Roma for the player. There has been contact with other Serie A teams, but not with the Giallorossi. For the moment the lad isn’t for sale.” – Tullio Tinti in
Rete Sport, January 2018.
Key stat: Matteo Darmian has managed no key passes or assists in his four appearances for the Red Devils this season.
Verdict: Replace
Daley Blind
Dutch international Daley Blind has his limitations, but he is still a valuable player to have as a multi-functional back-up in the squad. The 27 year old’s contract had been due to expire in the summer, but United recently activated a one year extension option in his previous deal.
Blind hasn’t featured much for United this season and it remains to be seen if Mourinho’s decision to add a year to his deal was a genuine show of faith in the Dutchman or simply a move to secure a fee for the player instead of losing him on a free.
However, with Blind reportedly frustrated with his lack of minutes and with links to Barcelona emerging in the media, United’s popular utility man could yet take matters into his own hands and force a move away from Old Trafford.
Mourinho on utility players: “I am more a manager that likes specialists, not so much the multi-functional players.
“I like one or two multi-functional players because when you are in trouble, you always need one or two guys who can fill the space. If you have three central defenders injured or suspended, you need some left-back or midfield player that can give you a hand.” – Mourinho on
Sky Sports, July 2017.
Key stat: Daley Blind scored one league goal for United last season.
Verdict: Keep
Luke Shaw
It seemed as though Luke Shaw already had one foot out of the door at Old Trafford just a few months ago following an injury hit spell at United, where his attitude and professionalism had been openly questioned by Jose Mourinho.
Yet things have taken a positive turn for the 22 year old of late and he has become a regular starter at left back for United. Improvement in his game has been gradual, but there are signs that Shaw is starting to rediscover the kind of form that earned him his big money move from Southampton to Manchester.
With signings needed in other areas of the team, a resurgent Shaw could save Man Utd a truck load of cash this summer. Left back had been a problem area for Mourinho, but Shaw’s re-emergence as a viable option will be a huge boost for United
Mourinho on whether unhappy players can leave: “I think, for the right price. That’s my approach as a manager, in cases where the club advises me. Every player has a price.
“If a player is not happy, if a player brings with him the request with the number that we consider a good number for us, like it happened with Memphis and Morgan, I would never say no.” – Mourinho in the
Telegraph, December 2017.
Key stat: Luke Shaw has executed 1.28 key passes per 90 minutes this season.
Verdict: Keep
Keep, loan or replace: Whose Man Utd career will end this January?