Analyzing Manchester United's 2021-22 Summer Priorities: Part III

In the second blog post of my series on Manchester United's ideal summer transfer targets, I focused on a central defensive midfielder and the impact that signing a player in that position would have on the side's style of play, going forward into a crucial year. In this post, I intend to focus on another such integral position; one which has been scrutinized and debated for many years: the centre back (CB).

Manchester United have been a club blessed with some of the best centre backs to ever play the game, with fans still singing the praises of the formidable partnership formed by Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. Rio and Vidic formed an indelible partnership, the likes of which will go down in footballing history as one of the most resolute defensive partnerships at the back. However, in the post- Sir Alex Ferguson era, it is an area of the pitch that has been neglected and filled with subpar and mediocre talent. It was the legendary Ferguson who once observed "Attack wins you games, but defences win you championships." For a man who made it a habit of winning the Premier League and is regarded as the greatest manager in the history of football, one would be sensible to agree. 

Why United need a world class defender

United's personnel options at CB presently comprise of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Axel Tuanzebe, and Teden Mengi. With Maguire and Lindelof the preferred pairing for manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, it may be argued that the team's defensive attributes have been above average at best. Harry Maguire, signed for a world record fee for a defender from Leicester City has been instrumental in fortifying the CB position and is virtually un-droppable. His distribution skills are underrated, and he is often heavily involved in stringing passes from the heart of the defence all around the pitch with impressive accuracy. He is also an elite aerial duelist, and rarely loses out on aerial battles with tough and menacing strikers in the Premier League. His durability has also made him a mainstay and he is seemingly always available for selection. While he isn't the paciest player, he makes up for this lack of speed with his footballing IQ and in-game awareness. He always seems to be at the right place, and has risen to the challenge of leading a back-line towards defensive resoluteness. 

While Maguire certainly has his shortcomings such as his lack of pace and being prone to a positional error / losing his man on occasion, the hallmark of a truly brilliant CB partnership has always been that the two players at the back complement each other (exactly like Rio and Vidic). Unfortunately, that cannot be said about Maguire and Lindelof, who do not mask each other's weaknesses well, leading to teams focusing on amplifying them instead. With Maguire making himself a key part of Ole's lineup, one would expect Lindelof to adapt to his partner's weaknesses and plug the holes Magure fails to.

There have been some questions pointed towards Lindelof, however. He isn't the most physical defender, which he fails to offset by being elite from a positional standpoint. He is also prone to the occasional error and has been at fault for many crucial goals conceded by this United team. Lindelof is not as pacey and resolute as one would hope. While he is comfortable on the ball, the demands of the modern game require CBs at top clubs to be comparable to midfielders when it comes to passing the ball. This is an aspect which requires some work, and United often struggle on the rare occasions that Maguire is not on the pitch.

Maguire and Lindelof limit each other's capabilities | Image credit: Goal.com

Eric Bailly, who joined United from Villarreal for a reported fee of £30 million, is extremely undependable from a match fitness standpoint. He has made only 66 appearances in the Premier League ever since making his debut in 2016. To put that in its proper perspective, Maguire (who joined in 2019) has already made 72 appearances for the club in the Premier League. Bailly is also prone to impulsive and at times schoolboy errors, which gift opposing teams valuable set pieces. His in-game composure is subpar at best, and his on-the-ball attributes are indeed limited. Tuanzebe has shown flashes of potential, but has struggled to find consistency and nail down a spot in the first team. Mengi is not a first-team player at this stage, and will mature into a fine player after a few loan moves at the lower level, which will give him confidence and playing time.

Who United should move for

United seem focused on securing the services of Jadon Sancho, and most stakeholders believe the deal is a question of "when and not if". In the event that United are unable to sign a world-class CDM, one would argue that a world class CB is a must-have, if United's lineup is to make the next step towards being regarded as a formidable team, capable of playing against the world's best and holding their own.

Real Madrid recently announced the departure of club legend Sergio Ramos, who spent 16 years at the heart of the Los Merengues' defence. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, Ramos excels aerially due to his elevation, eye for goal, and heading accuracy. A true leader of men, he has made himself a goal threat on set-pieces and a competent and aggressive tackler. He is a serial winner, having won 5 La Liga and 4 UEFA Champions League titles during his tenure at Real Madrid. He has been selected as a member of the FIFA FIFPro World 11 a mind-boggling eleven times, and even won the prestigious FIFA World Cup with Spain in 2010. 

Aged 35, he easily has a minimum of 2 years of world class football left in him before father time starts catching up. Given that his contract run its course, he can be signed as a free agent, with the signing club only having to agree upon his wages and signing-on fee, if any. If United are to make a statement of intent, signing Sergio Ramos would be a major step in that direction. Capable of playing either on the left or right side of a back two, he would be a perfect partner for Maguire. Ramos has earned plaudits for his leadership, technical prowess, athleticism, and his decisive performances in high pressure games. Signing Ramos would imply hefty wages (possibly in the range of upward of £300k a week), but adding a player of Ramos' quality to Ole's side would bring a defensive fervor and winning mentality, both of which are key elements required for any elite footballing team. 

Signing Sergio Ramos would be a major coup for United | Image credit: Sky Sports

Another name potentially doing the rounds is that of Real Madrid CB Raphael Varane, with the Frenchman allegedly looking for a new challenge and hesitant to sign an extension to his contract. Varane has 1 year left on his current contract, and if the rumour mill is to be believed, Real Madrid would look to do business in a range upward of £50 million. Aged 28, he has won 3 La Liga and 4 UEFA Champions League titles during his tenure at Los Blancos, and also was an instrumental member of the 2018 FIFA World Cup winning French squad. Varane has often been labelled as the best defender in the world, including by the likes of elite tacticians such as Jose Mourinho. He has been described as "elite at a technical and tactical level", and is routinely regarded as one of the best players in world football. 

Varane would also be a world class addition at Old Trafford | Image credit: Goal.com

Varane possesses all the attributes of a world-class modern day CB. He is 6'3, strong, and quick on the ball. His French national team manager Didier Deschamps has heralded his mentality, calling him "communicative, and extremely important to what France do on the pitch." Varane has put together a glittering resume during his Real Madrid tenure, and may be open to a move to the Premier League, where he can apply his world-class abilities in the fast-paced and challenging landscape that England has to offer. Varane is not a flashy player, but his understated excellence has made him a dominant force in world football. His mixture of pace, strength and elite mentality make him an extremely attractive proposition for a club like United.

Rounding up the list of potential targets is Spanish centre-back Pau Torres. The 24-year old has been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona, but is also rumoured to be open to the idea of playing in England, and may be available in case his £57 million release clause is activated. He is considered to be an elite ball-playing centre back, and has played his way into somewhat of a mainstay in the UEFA Europa League winning club's starting 11. 

Pau Torres is a viable option should moves for Varane and Ramos fall through | Image credit: Getty Images

He is extremely comfortable on the ball, and has been blessed with enhanced technical abilities. He reads the game very well, and is rarely found scrambling for position or struggling to close down open spaces. He is one of La Liga's best defenders when it comes to being dribbled past, and statistics from FBRef show that he has allowed a meagre 0.23 dribbles per 90 this season. His on-ball abilities, tall frame, and exciting ceiling make him an enticing option, should United choose to go down that path.

It is very clear that United must look to sign either a defensive midfielder or a centre back if they are to build a formidable team, capable of challenging the rest of Europe's elite. In a summer transfer window that has a bevy of world-class options to choose from, it is imperative that the club's officials take the right decision.

Authored by: Saurav Roy