Over the last decade, Manchester United have signed an abundance of talent who were supposed to help return the club to its glory days.
The transfer activity has largely been a failure, but the signing of Bruno Fernandes could prove to be the best decision in the recent history of the Red Devils.
The Portuguese Magnifico has been simply out of this world since joining in 2020, scoring 79 goals and providing 66 assists in 233 appearances.
If there was anyone to lead Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s rebuild towards triumph and dominance, it’s Fernandes, and therefore, it’s no surprise to see that the new owner wants to sign a player who could make the captain even better.
Man Utd want to sign a defensive midfielder
In the last 48 hours, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano took to X to say that Man Utd are ‘seriously considering’ bringing in a new midfielder.
An option that’s been discussed is Edson Alvarez, who previously worked with Erik Ten Hag at Ajax.
It’s said that the Mexican has been discussed internally due to the Dutch boss appreciating his quality and personality.
However, any deal this summer could prove to be difficult, with West Ham United viewing him as a key player that they’d like to keep.
Why Edson Alvarez would be perfect for Fernandes
Since joining West Ham last summer for £35.4m, Alvarez has become known for being an old-fashioned, no-nonsense defensive midfielder.
The 26-year-old featured as the deepest midfielder within the 4-2-3-1 formation, becoming a "monster" at the heart of David Moyes’ midfield, as Hammers present Dan Woffenden stated.
Across the campaign, the Mexican started 28 times in the Premier League, while also making seven appearances in the Europa League.
However, he’s not exactly shown his true potential since moving to England, with his play style at Ajax proving that he has more to offer, which Ten Hag will help him unleash.
Touches
81.78
60.54
Passes completed
59.19
39.11
Progressive passes
5.87
3.45
Pass accuracy
86%
85.6%
Tackles
2.43
3.03
Dribblers tackled
1.31
1.17
Interceptions
1.66
1.59
Ball recoveries
8.07
6.21
Aerials won
3.94
1.14
During his time at Ajax under the current United boss, Alvarez operated as a lone number six, taking on the majority of the defensive responsibility.
As shown by his tackles, balls recovered, and duels won, the number 19 has always been a monster defensively, with football scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a "superb tackler" who is "fast, tenacious, and charismatic."
This defensive security in the middle of the field would benefit Fernandes significantly, as it would unleash him in higher positions up the field where he can work his magic.
During the number eight’s best campaign at Old Trafford, where he scored 18 league goals and provided 12 assists in 2020/21, he played ahead of a Scott McTominay and Fred duo, who gave him the freedom to express himself more in and around the box.
The addition of Alvarez could see that version of Fernandes return next season, but what else can the former Club America player bring to the table?
Unlike West Ham, who only had 40.8% possession last season, Ajax always dominated possession, which allowed the midfielder to showcase his technical ability.
This gives an indication of what he could bring from an in-possession perspective at United, considering that Ten Hag would likely duplicate what worked for him at Ajax.
Overall, the signing of Alvarez may not be one that will get the Red Devil’s faithful off their seats in excitement, but he could play a huge role in making the team much more competitive and successful.
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