Manchester United’s midfield depth is becoming a bit of an issue under manager Ruben Amorim. While he has found his first-choice core in Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese coach does not appear to have faith in the depth of his squad in those deeper areas.
His stubbornness not to play Koby Mainu is strange considering how talented the young Carrington graduate is. The England international is currently set to leave his boyhood club on loan this winter, and Napoli appears to be one of his possible destinations.
As for Manuel Ugarte, he appears to be off the pace in the Premier League, having played just 301 minutes in the Premier League and being described as “not good enough” by Gary Neville after the Manchester derby defeat.
With that in mind, it may come as no surprise that United are targeting a new midfielder.
Manchester United’s latest midfield goals
Midfield is clearly an area United are looking to improve this winter. The Englishman will face plenty of competition for the English player, who has already been linked with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton in recent days.
Another player the Red Devils could target is Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller.
According to reports in Spain, United are one of the teams “interested in signing him” and the Germany international is one of the top names on the midfield shopping list.
However, even though it looks like they have made an approach, they are not the only ones aiming for Stiller’s autograph.
United’s competition is Real Madrid, with Los Blancos looking to add depth to their midfield after losing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in recent seasons.
In terms of price, Stiller, who is said to be keen on a move to the Spanish capital, could cost more than £53 million to lure Stuttgart into a sale.
Comparison of Stiller and Adam Wharton
The five-cap Germany international has shined in Stuttgart’s midfield over the past few seasons. Described as a “complete” midfielder by football analyst Ben Mattinson, he brings class to the ball and controls play from deeper areas.
This season was no exception for the Munich-born midfielder, who played at the top level for Bayern Munich. Stiller has appeared in 17 games so far this season, recording one goal and five assists.
In fact, assists from deep areas are a key theme in Stiller’s game. He played in 98 games for Stuttgart and provided 22 assists. This pass against FC Augsburg is an example of how creative he can be when trying to pull the strings from the edge of the final third.
Of course, the German is not the only midfielder United are considering signing. Wharton, like many clubs, is high on their shopping list.
The Palace midfielder has continued to shine for the Eagles this season, making 15 appearances in all competitions.
“He’s at Champions League level with the ball,” said former Blackburn Rovers manager John Dahl Thomasson.
In fact, like Stiller, Wharton is a true controller, allowing you to control the game from a deeper realm. Take a look at his influence in midfield in last season’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.
It’s entirely possible that United end up signing either Stiller or Wharton, given their similar profiles. The former Blackburn star has Premier League experience, but Stiller may actually be the better deal.
Statistics also go a long way in supporting this theory. So far this season, the German has been more progressive with an average of 7.56 passes per 90 minutes to Wharton’s 5.06, while also recovering the ball more each game with 5.47 compared to 4.68.
Comparison of key statistics between Stiller and Wharton | ||
|---|---|---|
State (per 90) | stiller | wharton |
progressive path | 7.56 | 5.06 |
advance to the final third | 7.44 | 3.77 |
pass into the penalty area | 2.33 | 1.04 |
progressive carry | 2.21 | 1.17 |
Number of balls collected | 5.47 | 4.68 |
Statistics from FBref | ||
It’s easy to see why bringing in Stiller rather than Wharton could be a better move for United. Not only is he ahead of him in several key metrics, the former Bayern star is also the one who has a greater influence in the final third and has provided far more assists.
As Mattinson said in another post, the 24-year-old is “the perfect player for Amorim’s style of play”. He could certainly use his skills to become United’s pivot controller, while also contributing in attack.
A transfer fee of £53 million is not that expensive in the current transfer window. Stiller could be the ideal candidate to add depth to United’s midfield, which Amorim trusts.
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