Manchester United are set for an interesting few days, and indeed months, on the managerial front.
Ruben Amorim lost his job last Monday, and the club will name an interim before looking for a permanent option at the end of the season.
It means that a change of system, away from Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1, will surely take place. Interim Darren Fletcher has already moved away from that, with a back four once again in place for the Red Devils after a year of a back three. It will be fascinating to see how that affects United’s transfer plans in the short and long term.
darren-fletcher-man-utd
They have recently been linked with one player who can operate in two positions.
Man United target La Liga star
There are a few positions in which United are looking to recruit. One of those areas is in attack, with Brighton and Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma, someone linked with the 13-time Premier League champions in recent days.
However, United are also looking at bringing in a player who can cover a couple of positions across the pitch, according to reports in Spain.
Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente is a player for whom the Red Devils have already made ‘a formal offer', suggesting talks have been opened.
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This seems to be a deal United are keen to do, with the report suggesting Llorente is ‘as an ideal signing due to his experience in top-level competitions.’
Bringing him to Old Trafford would not break the bank, either, with the Mancunian outfit said to have made a bid of around £30m to secure his services.
Why Llorente is bad news for Dalot
If United were to sign Llorente, he would certainly add experience to a midfield which already has the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.
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The 29-year-old is a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, amongst other accolades. It is easy to see why football scout Jacek Kulig called him a "world class" operator.
This season, his role has once again been crucial under Diego Simeone. The 22-cap Spain international has played 20 times across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and three assists in that time.
One of the best things about Llorente’s game is the versatility he possesses. The Madrid-born star is a midfielder by trade, able to operate right across the park, but can also play right-back, a skill he has shone in during recent years.
Llorente record per position for Atleti
Position
Right midfield
Central midfield
Right-back
Attacking midfield
Defensive midfield
Second striker
Stats from Transfermarkt
This could be bad news for one of United’s more experienced players, Diogo Dalot. He was a victim of Amorim’s system, operating high and wide as a wing-back when in possession, at times on the left flank, not his strongest side by any means.
Diogo Dalot for Manchester United
However, his form has been patchy, although he will be hoping that can change now that he will be playing at right-back again. He’s played there more often than not in a United shirt, 130 times to be exact, scoring and assisting 13 times from that role.
However, the addition of Llorente could affect his game time. If the Atleti star does join United, then his skill in midfield might be more useful if the new manager asks him to tuck inside in possession, as is often the way in present-day football.
The United number two is good in possession, averaging 3.26 progressive passes per 90 minutes this season. However, with 4.71 progressive passes each game, the Spaniard is certainly more comfortable with the ball at his feet.
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The fact that the versatile Atleti number 14 has played so much as an outright midfielder means he will surely understand angles better than Dalot, and will just slot in seamlessly if asked to invert. Of course, there is no guarantee this will happen, but it offers an extra tool to United’s next manager.
For just £30m, Llorente would be a smart buy from United. He is comfortable in midfield, even if asked to tuck in from right-back, and can even operate in other positions. It could be bad news for someone like Dalot, despite his own quality and reliability.
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