Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images
Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images
Manchester United’s hunt for a third midfield signing this summer continues to drag along, but now a player that Michael Carrick would love is on the market.
This summer has already seen Manchester United get one over on Chelsea by signing Andrey Santos for just £48m, which already looks like a bargain.
Santos looks to have been a brilliant signing by United in the early days, alongside United’s signing of Youri Tielemans for just £35m, which means two-thirds of the midfield rebuild has been completed for around the price of one top target.
United need a third midfielder, with Xabi Alonso now demanding a player at Chelsea who Michael Carrick could get the best out of, and should be insisting that Ineos compete for his signature.
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Manchester United should rival Chelsea for Martin Zubimendi
While Chelsea aren’t a club that United should be looking to use as an example, this summer, they have been acting a lot more sensibly, with Xabi Alonso appearing to have a hand in the dealings.
Now, there are reports suggesting that he has requested Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal.
If the Spaniard is up for sale, United should absolutely be looking to rival Chelsea for his signature, because he is a much better midfielder than what has been shown within Mikel Arteta’s system.
Arsenal have signed Bruno Guimaraes, which almost certainly rules Zubimendi out as a starter for the Gunners, and he absolutely fits into the way Michael Carrick wants United to play football.
Alonso worked with Zubimendi at Real Sociedad B, which is a potential indicator that he would choose Chelsea anyway, but United should at least be asking the question, as he would be a great third midfield signing.
United wanted Zubimendi prior to joining Arsenal, with links existing as early as 2022, so there will be supporters of this move within Carrington right now.
If at all possible, Carrick would love this move, and therefore, United needs to register interest. He would be within budget and is semi-Premier League proven already.
Zubimendi is a potential Rolls-Royce midfielder, and United can’t watch him head to Chelsea without competition.
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Zubimendi signing would push Michael Carrick towards dream midfield
This summer has seen Manchester United clearly make moves toward playing football in the Michael Carrick way, which isn’t the transition football he showed last season, but rather a more controlled, possession-dominant system that top teams deploy.
Carrick wants a PSG-like midfield set-up, with Youri Tielemans, Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, and Santos in the department now. He has four players who are all proper footballers.
But Zubimendi would be a step forward to a completely new level of control if used in the right way.
The Zubimendi before and away from Arsenal is a potential world-leading defensive midfielder, and in the right system, he can get back to these levels, in a team where physicality clearly isn’t the priority.
United want to be more like Spain and less like France under Carrick, as evidenced by the qualities of the midfield signings this summer. So Zubimendi feels an obvious target for Ineos right now, even if Chelsea holds the advantage, United can offer him Champions League football.