Manchester United could have the opportunity to sign an in-form full-back ahead of the January window, after he named United among his dream moves.
The full-back positions at Manchester United have been consistently lacking in quality over the last few seasons, whether this be Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka or even someone like Luke Shaw, who has now adopted a more central defensive role; the position never seems to be secure.
So far this season, one of the main areas of criticism towards Ruben Amorim’s side has been the wing-back positions. Diogo Dalot has displayed some very poor performances this season, and Patrick Dorgu has been inconsistent as well as injury-prone. Players have also been played out of position to fit into the wing-back system implemented by Amorim.
All three of United’s usual wing-backs, Amad, Dalot and Dorgu, have failed to win during the international break for their respective countries, with Portugal’s 2-0 loss to Ireland perhaps being the most damming of the three. However, this shows that a certain individual is not more confident or in-form than another, making it challenging for Amorim to pick the best pair to play.
United have been linked with a young European full-back, Nathaniel Brown, a German international at only 22 years of age. Brown plays off the left side for Eintracht Frankfurt, who rate the wing-back very highly. However, this signing is similar to that of Dorgu, a young wing-back with potential that has not worked out as of yet. A Premier League-proven individual has ‘opened the door’ to clubs including United, who I feel would suit the club a lot better.
United are expected to explore Daniel Munoz deal
Daniel Munoz has been instrumental in Crystal Palace’s recent success. Oliver Glasner has transformed the full-back into a direct and exciting player who is also extremely good at his defensive roles. Palace paid only £6.6m for the Colombian, which is a bargain considering he has become one of the standout defenders in the Prem over the last couple of seasons.
Munoz, in an interview with AS, revealed that: ‘it would be a dream to play for one of these clubs, whether it’s Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid, or Manchester United.’ This has led fans to speculate on the likelihood of United pursuing this interest and previous employees at United have also had their say.
When speaking to the Football Insider, former chief scout and United Mick Brown revealed: “Munoz has opened the door to a move away from Palace.
“He’s got a very good reputation, he’s very highly rated for what he’s done with Palace because he’s been an important part of the success they’ve had recently. I’ve never heard his name mentioned in connection with Man United, but he’s now thrown that one out there, so people will take notice.
“He’s done a cracking job for Palace since he arrived there, but if he’s now looking to move on to one of these clubs he’s speaking about, it could put pressure on them. I don’t think Man United have been prioritising a move for a right-back, but things can change.”
Is Munoz a top priority for Amorim?
Ruben Amorim’s five-back formation is very similar to the system that Palace have played under Glasner, which has seen them have so much success and overperform in multiple competitions. As I have already mentioned, numerous players have been given the chance at the right wing-back position, and no one has really grabbed the chance with both hands.
Munoz, on paper, seems to be a signing ready-made for Manchester United, and although it has not been rumoured that United’s top priority is a right-sided player, if Munoz were to become available, I don’t see how Amorim wouldn’t be desperate to sign the 29-year-old.
The Colombian, revealing that it would be a ‘dream’ for the transfer to happen, will also fuel fans with excitement as Monoz would come in and fight for the badge of a club that he deeply admires. It would be foolish for the recruitment team to ignore Munoz as an option completely.
The wing-back’s age could be the only factor contributing towards United’s lack of interest, as Munoz turns 30 next year and could be seen as a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution. However, I feel this area of Amorim’s system needs more experience, as both Amad and Dorgu are young players who may benefit from an older player’s advice on how to play the role.
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