Why Cole Palmer would be the perfect Man United signing | OneFootball

Manchester United must start planning for life without a certain man from Portugal.

No, not Diogo Dalot. United still lean heavily on Bruno Fernandes for nearly every forward move.

Despite the creative burden, the 31-year-old continues to deliver. The team keeps turning him into the solution to problems it ought to solve collectively, however.

United often set up in a compact mid-block and allow specific opposition players to have the ball. They then press on certain triggers, such as an opponent receiving on their weaker foot or a loose control from a heavy touch. Once they force the mistake, they immediately attack the space in transition.

Looking ahead

Transitional play is where Cole Palmer thrives. He is able to receive passes between the lines, draw defenders towards him, and then instantly punish the gaps they leave behind.

He is also capable of producing the spectacular. This season, the top flight has brought back long throws. As the game continues to evolve, we are also seeing more maverick types grace the pitch.

The 23-year-old constantly reinvents himself and assumes formlessness in the final third. He is, therefore, the kind of ‘United DNA’ player who could spearhead an Old Trafford redemption.

Different option

Palmer can play as a number 10, operate from the right, or drift inside left to overload central areas without the team losing its structure.

This flexibility is similar to the adaptability that Bruno possesses. Both have the ability to change the shape of their respective sides mid-game, yet still maintain fluidity in the last phase of build-up.

Furthermore, the England international tricks defenders into playing in a reactive manner. He feints, shifts the ball onto his favoured foot, and creates angles that simply do not exist for most top-level players.

Additionally, the former Manchester City man wins fouls in dangerous areas and earns penalties because he invites contact as soon as defenders panic.

In the final analysis, he demands the ball when the game turns messy. Talk about high-agency. The first habit of being an effective person is proactivity after all, to paraphrase the late, great Stephen R. Covey.

The obstacle is the way

According to a recent report, Palmer is currently valued at £120 million. This reality does not make the idea pointless; it just sets the lofty goal United must achieve if they want a genuinely elite chance creator to succeed Bruno.

United cannot afford to replace the Portuguese maestro with a non-Premier League-proven player, albeit with great potential and a high ceiling.

The English club, therefore, has to enter the transfer market with boldness if they truly want a proper rebuild. Michael Carrick took risks with his tactics against Manchester City and Arsenal and it paid dividends. Funnily enough, it is about the principle, not the money.

If the reported interest in Palmer from the Red Devils becomes serious, they should move early rather than letting the race develop.

They say you should never let a good crisis go to waste. Although Carrick has improved the mood and the football essentially overnight, INEOS must already set their sights on the summer. Even good things come to an end.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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