United have added Aston Villa's Scotland midfielder John McGinn to this summer's back-up signing list, which now has three names: Borussia Dortmund rising star Jude Bellingham, West Ham captain Dekran Rice and McGinn.
McGinn joined Villa from Hibernen, Scotland in 2018, wearing the number 7 shirt and becoming the team's main midfielder, the left-footed player is brave and has more long-range shooting ability. This season, he has scored three goals and assisted two times for Villa in 17 Premier League games. Britain's Daily Telegraph said United saw him as an operational option in the new back-up signings.
After Ronnick came to Manchester United, a number of German midfielders, such as Heidara of Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga, zakaria in Mönchengladbach, etc., were constantly rumored with the Red Devils. However, the United executives did not fully trust the recommendation of the interim manager, and the French midfielders who had been hot in the past, such as Joan Ameni and Bubaka Camara, gradually disappeared, and the club still preferred the British back. In addition to England internationals Bellingham, Rice and Scotland international McGinn, another Portuguese midfielder under consideration, Ruben Neves, has also been working for Wolves in the Premier League for many years.
Compared to Bellingham's price of eight or nine million pounds, Rice's price is hundreds of millions or even 200 million pounds, and the 27-year-old McGinn's price is quite real, only 40 million pounds, and his contract with Villa is until 2024. Moreover, McGinn has been recommended by two major Manchester United club leaders, including legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson and technical director Fletcher.
McGinn is considered a dominant team-type midfielder and he is also the captain of Scotland, but not the pure defensive back that some fans expect. McGinn plays mainly on the right side of Villa's three midfielders, which is advantaged by receiving from the back, as well as taking the ball and shooting, and his passing level is not outstanding, with only 79% accuracy. Villa also has a certain defensive ability, with 2.7 tackles per game, and his pressing ability is also excellent, and his ability to have no ball is strong.
At the same time, United must learn their lesson and stop fantasizing about solving the problems of the entire team through the addition of a new signing. Many people feel that Manchester United now lacks an iron waist, and if the right new signings are introduced, all problems can be solved.
However, the facts have long told the Red Devils that it is not so simple and direct. In the past, United had thought that one or two new centre-backs could solve the defensive problem, a right winger could activate the wing, or an efficient centre-forward could cure the goal difficulties, but after Maguire, Varane, Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo joined, all the problems remained.
Therefore, to bring in a new back, to eliminate all of United's tactical flaws is obviously too idealistic thinking. Instead of hoping for an iron waist to assume all the role of midfield barriers, United should establish an appropriate tactical system and must ensure that the players in the squad reflect a sense of teamwork in order to achieve a leap from quantitative change to qualitative change.
Just like in the Manchester United squad, Van der Beek and Jesse Lingard did not get a chance at all, but they played well in Ajax and West Ham, and the ability of the same player does not suddenly become stronger or weaker in a short period of time, the only reason that can be explained is that the tactical environment they are in determines the performance level of the difference.
Of course, United may not just need a defensive back this summer, as the likes of Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Van der Beek are highly likely to leave the squad and the club must bring in a replacement in midfield.