Six ways Man Utd could line up under Niko Kovac as triple transfer need exposed in preferred system | OneFootball

Niko Kovac is emerging as a strong candidate to become the next Manchester United head coach in the summer, but how would he set them up if he got the job and what signings would they need to boost his chances of being a success?

TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Saturday that Man Utd are monitoring Kovac and could open talks in late spring. Since our report, United’s interest in the current Borussia Dortmund boss has been confirmed by other sources in England and Germany.

While he isn’t the only option in contention to take over after Michael Carrick’s interim spell, Kovac is certainly one to watch in the race to replace Ruben Amorim permanently.

Kovac’s CV as a coach also includes spells with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, Monaco and Wolfsburg, after beginning his managerial career with the Croatia national team.

Across those jobs, he has used a variety of formations to express his tactics, which usually rely on pressing and fast transitions.

But how would that translate to the current United squad? Here are six different formations Kovac could use at Old Trafford, how each one would look and what signings may be needed to get the most out of them.

3-4-2-1

Kovac is currently favouring a 3-4-2-1 formation with Dortmund after changing from a back four in late March last year.

At first glance, seeing those four numbers in that order may make United fans shudder, after Amorim stubbornly tried and failed to make that formation work during his tenure.

But by the same score, some signings were made to fit into a 3-4-2-1 system over the summer, particularly Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in behind the main striker.

With that in mind, Kovac could implement a system familiar to the current United squad, even if they are reverting to a back four under Carrick for the next few months.

There are still areas to upgrade if United are to build around a 3-4-2-1 shape, as Amorim himself would have argued. In particular, they need more quality at wing-back, which would especially be true for Kovac given how he likes his teams to progress play vertically.

The other main position to reinforce would be in midfield, preferably with a specialist defensive-minded operator who can take over from Casemiro in the long run.

However, questions over how Bruno Fernandes would fit in – if he doesn’t leave the club – would return.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; new right wing-back, new midfielder, Mainoo, new left wing-back; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko

3-5-2

When he took charge of his first club, Frankfurt, Kovac also based his system around a back three – but with a different combination at the other end of the pitch.

Rather than having two attacking midfielders and one centre-forward, Kovac often fielded two strikers. His midfield three would be flexible, either having one holding player and two box-to-box players, or two central midfielders and one player in the no. 10 role.

That might suit Fernandes more, for example, while still offering the same solid base at the back. The players who would have more questions about their roles would be the more natural wingers like Mbeumo and Amad Diallo.

Mbeumo may have to adapt as a striker, whereas Amad may be more likely to get games as a forward-thinking wing-back.

A defensive-midfield enforcer would remain a priority, while another striker to provide backup for Sesko, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha (another player who would have to make a tactical transformation into more of a centre-forward, although he can be functional drifting between the lines) might come in handy if one is available on reasonable terms.

In theory, that potential striker would have to be someone who wouldn’t mind being a rotation option, given how much United spent on those other three attackers in the summer.

Elsewhere, as with a 3-4-2-1 formation, a 3-5-2 may offer a lifeline to Harry Maguire, who is out of contract at the end of the season but could still be useful in a back three, even if he wouldn’t always be a starter.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; new right wing-back, Fernandes, new defensive midfielder, Mainoo, new left wing-back; Mbeumo, Sesko

4-2-3-1

Given their struggles to make a back three work under Amorim – although their problems didn’t just stem from the formation – many of a United persuasion would prefer to see a back four become their regular setup in the future.

Carrick immediately switched to a 4-2-3-1 for his first game in charge and it paid off as they beat Manchester City in a local derby. His starters were Diogo Dalot, Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw in defence, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, Amad and Patrick Dorgu on the wings, and Fernandes in the no. 10 role behind Mbeumo.

The 4-2-3-1 formation is one that Kovac has used before, primarily during his spells with Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg.

It would slightly reduce the pressure on United to strengthen at full-back, since the likes of Noussair Mazraoui and Dalot on the right can be more comfortable without the same density of attacking duties they would have as a wing-back.

That said, a new left-back would still be important given Shaw’s age.

Furthermore, the prospect of a new striker to back-up Sesko would prevail, arguably even more so than in a 3-5-2 because of Mbeumo and Cunha being more likely to operate in the trident behind the centre-forward.

But it’s easy to imagine 4-2-3-1 being the place to start if United can back up their derby win with more positive results in the same system over the rest of the season.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Mazraoui, Yoro, De Ligt, new left-back; new defensive midfielder, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

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4-3-3

An alternative to the 4-2-3-1 that Kovac has adapted to before – again harking back to his Bayern days – is the 4-3-3.

The most obvious difference is in the set-up of the midfield trio. Instead of two holding players and a no. 10, Kovac’s 4-3-3 would entail a single pivot and two no. 8s.

Fernandes could operate as one of the more advanced central midfielders, but there could be fresh calls for United to go through with their previous plans of signing two midfielders in 2026: one to sit and one to go from box to box.

Another subtle difference in a 4-3-3 compared to a 4-2-3-1 would be what happens on the wings. For example, Amad may be preferred to offer more width than Cunha, who would become more of a rotation option at centre-forward for Sesko.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Mazraoui, Yoro, De Ligt, new left-back; new defensive midfielder, Mainoo, Fernandes; Mbeumo, Sesko, Amad

4-1-4-1

However, depending on the opponent, Kovac was sometimes known to make his 4-3-3 more of a 4-1-4-1, with two attacking midfielders.

In theory, United could make that work with Fernandes and Cunha as twin no. 10s, with Amad and Mbeumo on the wings and a strong defensive midfielder brought in to cover the gaps.

Defensive duties would be a big burden on that holding player, so United would also need to ensure they have a strong back four. Again, the full-backs wouldn’t have as many attacking responsibilities.

One player who may be sent back to square one by a 4-1-4-1 system is Mainoo, who was restored into the United lineup by Carrick after being frequently sidelined by Amorim because of there not being a clear role for him in a 3-4-2-1.

Mainoo would encounter similar difficulties in a 4-1-4-1, in which the defensive and attacking responsibilities of the midfielders in each department are amplified to the extremes.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Mazraoui, Yoro, De Ligt, new left-back; new defensive midfielder; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha, Amad; Sekso

4-4-2

Finally, Kovac wasn’t afraid to lean on a 4-4-2 shape during his time at Monaco, the only club outside Germany he’s managed so far.

It would be quite similar to his 4-2-3-1 setup out of possession, but again might require an additional centre-forward to join the ranks in support.

In possession, meanwhile, there would be some parallels to a 3-5-2, since a midfielder often dropped in between the defenders to help build play.

Seen as a traditional English formation, United haven’t really relied heavily on the 4-4-2 over the past decade, except for portions of the early days of Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell and at times under Louis van Gaal (whose variant was more of a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond).

Kovac’s 4-4-2 would need one or potentially two new midfielders to be fully functional. A partnership of Fernandes and Mainoo wouldn’t work, for example, but perhaps one of them could play alongside a sturdier defensive midfielder.

Potential lineup: Lammens; Mazraoui, Yoro, De Ligt, new left-back; Mbeumo, new midfielder, Fernandes, Amad; Sesko, Cunha

All in all, Kovac has proven himself as a flexible coach over the years, not married to a system like Amorim was.

How he would envisage a United side lining up remains to be seen, but whichever way he goes, the gaps in their squad remain clear.

A new left-back and midfielder are two absolute priorities, while if there is room for a third bit of business, it would depend on his preferred formation.

Go with a back three, and a right-back with attacking capabilities would complete the squad. Go with a back four, and there could be room for an extra striker.

Either way, it’s bound to be a fascinating summer for United, whether that’s with Kovac at the helm or someone else.