One transfer Man United are tempted to overlook but cannot afford to | OneFootball

This summer transfer window is extremely important for Manchester United; it is one they can use to close the gap to the top of the league.

Undoubtedly, United have a pretty decent squad. INEOS have had their faults, but apart from one or two signings, they have recruited well.

Not far off from a dream team, one can confidently say the Red Devils are just three or four signings away from challenging for the league while also battling on multiple fronts.

Bolstering the midfield and signing a left winger sit at the top of the agenda at Old Trafford. But while those two positions demand attention, the central defence must also feature in United’s summer plans.

A move for a left-back is the one being heavily pushed. However, United need a centre-back more than they need a left-back.

Why is left-back not a priority

If a left-back is signed this summer, one would wonder why United even bothered going for Diego Leon. Surely they saw something in him that led them to sign him and resist sending him out on loan, and whatever that is, it should be enough to have the Uruguayan considered as a squad option next season, particularly now that he is well versed with the demands of English football.

Leon aside, there is Harry Amass, who dazzled when Ruben Amorim played him last season. He impressed more on loan at Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season, before an unfortunate injury at Norwich sidelined him from late January onwards.

Even so, the young full-back, given a proper pre-season, should rediscover his rhythm and be ready to deputise for Luke Shaw at left-back.

Leon or Amass, and with Patrick Dorgu going nowhere, even if he could now feature more as a winger, there are surely enough options to cover for Shaw.

Why central defence needs bolstering

There are several reasons why United need to sign a centre-back.

There is the fact that Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans left last summer and were never replaced.

Then there is United’s biggest issue this season: injuries. For almost the entire campaign, key centre-backs have been sidelined with injury. At no point this season have Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martínez and Matthijs de Ligt all been fit and available for selection simultaneously.

Interestingly, United have five centre-backs on the books, but cast your mind back to the Chelsea game, when the Red Devils found themselves in a situation where only one central defender was fit, forcing Mazraoui to fill in. Imagine such a scenario next season, with United facing a Champions League heavyweight like Bayern Munich or PSG.

Injury struggles for senior defenders

While one can argue it is unlikely United will ever again find themselves with only one fit central defender, there is another pattern they cannot afford to ignore.

Maguire, Martínez and De Ligt have all struggled with injuries this season; at any given point, one or two of them have been out. And while Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, tipped by many to form an incredible defensive partnership one day, will eventually come good, the two are simply not there yet. They still have a great deal to learn from the more experienced defenders around them, but how can they do that if those very defenders keep breaking down?

United need to sign at least one experienced, quality centre-back who is not injury-prone. That player would serve as insurance against finding themselves in a position where all their senior centre-backs are simultaneously sidelined.

Carrick’s transfer hint

With the case for a defensive signing so clear, it is intriguing that Michael Carrick admitted via BBC:

“It’s not an area of concern for me at this moment in time.”

With summer planning already underway, those are telling admissions, suggesting United may not be actively working on a centre-back signing. That, if true, could well come back to bite them.

Ultimately, while bolstering the midfield is non-negotiable this summer, United could perhaps do without a left-winger signing. If Ineos can get the midfield and defence right, it should lay the foundation for whoever lines up on the left wing, whether that is Matheus Cunha or Dorgu, to shine.

Feature image Naomi Baker via Getty Images

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