It’s fair to say that since the departure of Michael Carrick, Manchester United’s midfield has been sub-par.
Casemiro and Paul Pogba were big signings that never truly starred, and a Declan Rice-esque player is missing.
The Arsenal midfielder is simply unbelievable; he is the driving force of the team, someone that the Red Devils desperately need.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS target who could become their very own Rice.
Man Utd’s midfield summer plans
It seems as though a midfield overhaul is set to occur at Old Trafford this summer, with Christian Eriksen and Sofyan Amrabat’s futures unclear.
Casemiro is another household name that could be on the move, with Saudi Arabia looking set to be a likely destination for the Brazilian.
As a result, a replacement must be acquired. Well, according to a report from FootballTransfers earlier this week, Man United are interested in signing Leon Goretzka.
Fortunately for United, Goretzka is one of the Bayern Munich players that will be allowed to leave the club this summer.
It’s said that United are keen to sign a partner for Kobbie Mainoo, who has experience; hence, Goretzka is a potential target.
A bid has even been made for the player according to reports in Spain this weekend, with a £34m offer lodged at the request of Ten Hag.
How Leon Goretzka compares to Declan Rice
For over seven years now, Goretzka has been regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in the Bundesliga.
Even though the 29-year-old hasn’t always been the go-to, first-choice player at the heart of Bayern’s midfield, he’s always had a huge impact on the team.
This was certainly the case last season, with Goretzka making 25 starts in the Bundesliga while also featuring ten times in the Champions League.
Throughout quite a few of those games towards the end of the season, the number eight partnered 20-year-old Aleksandar Pavlovic, which proves he can help guide a young-talented midfielder to success.
Nonetheless, according to FBref's 'similar players’ model, Goretzka’s name features alongside Rice’s. Looking at the table below, it's clear to see why,
Goals
0.20
0.24
Assists
0.22
0.28
Touches
74
81
Passes completed
57
62.6
Progressive passes
7.77
7.07
Progressive carries
2.09
2.65
Tackles
2.32
1.65
Interceptions
1.23
1.24
Firstly, the pair are true all-rounders on the field, impacting the game at both boxes while also having the ability to play as a number eight or slightly deeper as a number six.
One of the biggest similarities that separates them from other positional peers is that they’ve both proved to be match-winners, scoring goals and also creating for the dangerous attackers.
Just like Rice, Goretzka is an extremely technical player who serves as a fantastic progressive outlet to the side, whether that be by playing passes through the lines or carrying the ball forward with intent.
Important, they are both extremely solid defensively, meaning that the duo lack any true faults in their game, hence why Goretzka in particular has been labelled a “world-class” player by journalist Stefan Bienkowski.
For just £34m, Man Utd could secure themselves an absolute bargain this summer, and considering he performs even remotely close to Rice, that is a huge green light.
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