Manchester United have always been home to some of the greatest players in football history, but there are also a number of club legends who could have a major impact on the current side if they were transported into Michael Carrick’s squad.
Could Man Utd be going back to the days of old?
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There was a lot of back and forth when compiling the choices that would best fit in with the current crop at Manchester United. Many names could make a strong case.
United are in the market for a left-back. In that case, your mind may suddenly spring to Dennis Irwin. As a player, he could do it all: defend, attack and score goals - much like the modern full-back profile. Mr reliable. He would definitely be of great benefit to United had he played in this era of football, but he only serves as an honourable mention.
On the topic of honourable mentions, Rio Ferdinand is another one. United may look to invest in a centre-back this summer. If that comes to fruition, they would have loved the chance to call upon his services again.
He helped revolutionise the ball-playing defender, certainly in England. Ferdinand was one of the most naturally gifted defenders United have ever had.
But given there are widespread reports that Carrick wants to change United’s playing style from a team that is dangerous in transition to one that dominates and controls games, choosing a midfielder feels like the best option – Carrick himself is unlucky to miss out.
If there is one former Manchester United player who would thrive most under Michael Carrick, it is Paul Scholes. Few midfielders in Premier League history controlled matches quite like the academy graduate, whose intelligence, vision and passing range allowed United to dictate games.
Scholes was never the quickest or most athletic player on the pitch, but he rarely needed to be. His ability to scan his surroundings, receive the ball under pressure and play at the right tempo made him the heartbeat of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest sides. Those qualities are exactly what Carrick is looking to instil in his own team.
His longevity only strengthens the argument. Scholes spent almost two decades at the highest level, adapting his game as football evolved. Early in his career, he was an attacking midfielder capable of scoring regularly before gradually reinventing himself as a deep-lying playmaker who controlled matches through his intelligence rather than his athleticism.
Perhaps the greatest testament to his quality came in 2012. Having retired at the end of the previous season, Scholes reversed his decision midway through the campaign and immediately became one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most important players again. His return helped inspire United to the Premier League title in 2012/13, underlining just how influential he remained even in the closing stages of his career.
Of course, United have already moved to strengthen their midfield with the signing of Youri Tielemans. While comparisons to a player of Scholes’ calibre should always be made with caution, there are similarities in the way both players influence games through their passing range, composure and ability to dictate possession.
Like Scholes, Tielemans is at his best when he has time to orchestrate play from midfield. He is capable of switching the play, breaking lines with progressive passes and setting the tempo, all qualities that fit Carrick’s ambition of turning United into a side that controls matches rather than relying on counter-attacks.
No player will truly replicate what Scholes achieved across two decades at Old Trafford, but Tielemans has the technical profile to become the closest thing this current squad has to the United legend. Under Carrick’s guidance, there is every chance he could become the heartbeat of this new-look midfield.
If Tielemans can fulfil that role, Carrick could have the foundations of his own midfield conductor already at his disposal.
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