Welcome to the 2024 edition of 'Shopping for Ten Hag', where we use analytic data to identify players the United manager may need to revamp his squad.
In the summer transfer window of 2023 and 2022, we take a look back at the Netherlands' past teams and tactics to create a guide on the types of players he might be interested in.
Here, we focus on finding a defensive midfielder to partner Kobe · Menu.
The included players have been analysed through data that gives a rating from 0 to 99, which is related to how often or effectively they perform a given action relative to others in the same position.
What kind of player is Mainou and what does he need?
In Manchester United's 2023-24 season, no midfielder has performed well. Their peculiar combination of high pressing and deep defense left too much space in the middle to be fully controlled. However, in the midst of this chaos, Menou emerged, a 19-year-old player with the maturity of a mid-to-late 20-something. Whether in midfield, on the wing, close to the opposition penalty area or near his own, Maynu is a player that his team-mates trust to protect the ball and provide a platform for others.
There were some flashes in Mainou's performances hinting at his potential to develop into one of the best versatile midfielders in the Premier League, but his most effective role at the moment is that of a ball-handler who resists pressure and dribbles the ball all over the pitch. Should United buy a player who can give Maynou time to develop into the best – and perhaps the most well-rounded – version of themselves? Or should they buy a player who fits into Menou's current situation, ask the teenager to focus on what he's already good at, and go with the flow to the challenge?
Why are Manchester United considering Manuel ·?
Paris Saint-Germain's defensive midfielder Manuel · Ugarte has been linked with Manchester United this summer.
What does his pizza chart tell us?
Ugarte likes to take the initiative. He's a defensive midfielder who excels at reclaiming the ball from opponents (look at his high scores for ball recovery and interceptions). The Uruguay international is a proactive and aggressive tackler who can help with the intensity of counter-pressing that United lost when Casemiro was injured last season.
He has the stamina, aggression and focus needed to run back and forth on the court, and is able to disrupt the opponent's attacking moves; However, his attraction to the ball means he could be pulled out of his position as a result of defending close to his own goal.
Ugarte didn't feel comfortable once he got into the final third. His below-average attacking metrics (in blue) suggest that he is a defensive midfielder who just wants to focus on defence. He's not a good or consistent shooter. Last season, he rarely dribbled into the final third and rarely looked for touches in the opposition box.
Ugarte can show instability when defending at high altitudes. While he often jumps and battles corners and long balls, he's not the type of player you'd expect to dominate in your first aerial duel. Instead, he prefers to try and fight for two penalties. This means Ugarte may be better at taking advantage of opponent mistakes or second chances to get the ball back after the first aerial duel.
Ugarte is a conservative passer who prefers to keep possession rather than try to create chances. This led to him being out of place in Luis · Enrique's possession-oriented system at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last year. In the knockout stages of the Champions League, he was left out of PSG's starting eleven and Luis · Enrique preferred to use Vitinha and Fabian · Ruiz as the fulcrum of midfield. This suggests that Ugarte's conservative style may not be suitable for a tactical system that requires more creative and attacking passing.
If Ten Hag wants to continue with a man-to-man defensive system in 2024/25, Ugarte's ability to win the ball will help. However, if United's manager is to build a more solid defensive system, Ugarte may need extra help to avoid being easily beaten by opponents.
Let's talk... Yusuf · Fofana
Monaco midfielder Yusuf · Fofana is on the radar of several clubs.
Here's why...
When Fofana sees an opponent in possession, he looks for an opportunity to regain possession and then quickly passes the ball into the open space behind his opponent. He's pretty good at both tasks (look at his high scores on ball recovery and forward passing), although he's not as much of a defensive hound of the same caliber as Ugarte. Another interesting aspect of Fofana is his willingness to take the ball further and deep into the upper part of the pitch in search of opportunities, similar to Menou.
Unlike Menou, Fofana was less inclined to keep possession if those chances didn't come along. He showed a similar tendency to "make things happen" as Bruno · Fernandes, and his overly ambitious passing could cause him to lose possession. While he can drop back and try to regain possession, he's better paired with a player who is more defensive-minded. This means that Fofana may need a team-mate on the pitch who can provide defensive support to balance the risks he can pose when attacking.
The France player tends to get his team moving, which means he is a good catalyst for attacking action. He was able to play a 'pass before a pass', with the occasional assist, or arrive later in the box and try to shoot.
Fofana is better suited to be a full-pitched running midfielder rather than a single midfield fulcrum behind Fernandes and Menou. He may not be the ideal partner for Mainou right now, but he has enough age and talent to make him a great asset to United's squad for years to come.
These are the two obvious top picks. Now, let's take an unusual path......
Let's see... Anton · Starch
Germany midfielder Anton · Starch enjoyed a solid 2023-24 season at Hoffenheim.
Here's your quick checklist of key points:
Starch is an excellent tackler (91 of 99 points for possession recovery) and prefers to stay in his position and wait for the right moment before reaching out to intercept. He's not a counter-attacking machine like Ugarte, but his solid defensive position means he doesn't need to put too much pressure on a lot of winning the ball back.
The 25-year-old is all too familiar to the Bundesliga crowd and he often gets the ball deep and organises attacks from Hoffenheim's centre-back. Stagher is comfortable receiving and passing with either foot, which is also useful when he wants to get into the backline, especially when the full-backs want to move up further.
He is also an excellent dribbler (excellent in terms of dribbling and dribbling) and although he doesn't have the forward-thinking passing vision of Fofana (see Forward Pass Score), he doesn't overdo it. This meant that Starch was more inclined to possess and pass the ball safely on the pitch rather than risk making overly aggressive passing attempts.
Starch is a tenacious fighter. Standing at 193 centimeters tall and doing well (but not the best) at the ball, he will be a solid bodyguard for Menou against his physical opponents. The Germany midfielder is also a fast runner and is able to easily run a 20 to 30-yard sprint in a few steps.
Squint your eyes and tilt your head slightly, and you'll notice that Stach has a hint of Declan · Rice or Nemanja · Nemanja in his style of play. He's not the go-to player who makes attacking passes from the depths, but he's capable of doing the basics of what a defensive midfielder needs.
Have you heard... Morten · Frendrup?
The 25-year-old midfielder is a good example of a mid-table team who looks 'average' but may have the ability to jump to a higher ranked team.
Frendrup's salient features:
He combines physical athleticism with game reading. He is similar to Starch or Manchester United's Toby · Collier in his ability to quickly cover large areas (look at his scores in ball recovery and defensive intensity).
Frendrup's mind is always on high alert when he is not in possession. He can sense when to hold his position and when to press forward to try to regain possession.
One thing that is not easy to show in the pizza chart above is his resistance to pressure. He is able to throw larger, more aggressive defenders off balance when making his way through opposing defenses. Once he looks up, his tendency is to push short distances with the ball or make a side-foot pass.
These attempts to advance the ball can be inconsistent in terms of accuracy. Frendrup is an excellent ball carrier from 5 to 10 yards, but he is not such a high-level ball carrier like Menoo. His passing in midfield is good (in conjunction with the game), but the closer you get to the opposition goal, the more irregular it can become. This is partly due to Genoa's relative lack of good attackers. Part of the reason is that Frendrup is the most one-footed player on our shortlist. If he can't make a sidefoot pass with his right foot, he won't try anything else.
Don't be discouraged by his low indicators on offensive stats; Flendrup provided five assists last season and likes to cut down the right. Frendrupne has a better attacking player waiting to be polished.
Frendrup looks "good enough" for a team that doesn't have much outstanding talent in 2023-24. He has plenty of potential in his game to show that he can move up to another level. You can imagine Brighton buying such a player (if they hadn't bought Mats · Weaver – who could have played well with Mimenou).
If you're looking for a cheaper option, then... How is Daniel · Boroka?
Another midfielder from the bottom half of Serie A, Sassuolo's Daniel · Boloca, looks promising on the statistical charts and he looks interesting when you focus on his 90 minutes of play.
What you need to know:
Boloka is the least "see the ball and grab it" on our shortlist, but he's adept at being in the right place at the right time to cut out dangerous passing options.
His performance with the ball was pleasing to the eye. Boloka and Menou are similar in that they both are able to control the ball with ease, like a "typist's blind player", able to move gracefully and find open spaces without looking at the ball.
Sassuolo's inadequacy (they were relegated from Serie A last season) means that Bolloca's best passes often struggle to stick to their targets. As the season progressed, Boloca often took on the task of dribbling the ball between the boxes on his own to make things happen.
Imagine stretching Marco ·Verratti's height to 188 centimetres and you'll have a reasonable idea of what Boloca might be in the future (including his propensity to accumulate yellow cards – he was shown six in 30 league games last season).
Boloca needs a transfer to realise his potential. A former Juventus Academy product, his last non-Italy football experience was in 2017 for Slovakia team. The club that was able to convince him to leave Italy football could have something special.
Where does this put us?
Finding a suitable midfield partner for Mainou is a challenging goal. The academy graduate says he doesn't mind being called to play in any position at United and has shown potential as a number 6 defensive midfielder and full-court midfielder. The situation is compounded by the need for Fernandes to play in the number 10 position in order to maximise the efficiency of the captain.
Without a good and affordable candidate this summer, United would do well to sign a physical, goal-keeping contender while waiting for Mainou's skills to mature. Full-backs Luke · Shaw and Darlow can contribute by passing forward, while Collier's performances in pre-season have given Ten Hag more options.
Partnering with Mainou is a tricky task, but there are a few options that can help United succeed in the coming seasons.