After a decent first season back, Paul Pogba started the second one on a hot run of games and implanted his swashbuckling nature of football on the team to give United a bright start. However, injuries and loss of form have now seen new controversy spark up at Old Trafford with reports claiming that relation between the manager and the player is deteriorating and Pogba regrets his move to Old Trafford, so much so that he wishes to consider his future.
If Pogba does leave United, they will need someone strong and capable to replace him. Here are three options they can consider.
Toni Kroos
It was all the way back in 2007 when a young seventeen-year-old broke into Bayern’s first team and made an immediate impact by setting up two goals for German legend Miroslav Klose. The impressive start to his career as Toni Kroos spiralled up the progress ladder and made most of his limited game time at Bayern Munich.
He was subsequently loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen for eighteen months where he continued to develop and upon returning took on the mantle as the chief midfield creator for Bayern and led the club to great success including Heynckes’ treble-winning team of 2012-13.
Unfortunately, things fell through between the player and the club in the future and Real Madrid swooped in and lured him away to Santiago Bernabeu. He is now into his fourth year at the club and has developed into not only an integral cog in the team but into one of the finest midfielders in the world. Mourinho is believed to be a keen admirer of the midfield genius and will want to bring him to United.
Julian Weigl
The young German is highly talented and was named the youngest ever captain of his previous club 1860 Munich at the age of 18. He is good on the ball, has a way past defenders, well-disciplined and knows his game and limitations inside out. However, at the age of 22, what is perhaps most impressive about him is his ability to stick to the tactical game plan word to word and carry out instructions by the letter.
If Weigl were to move, he would form a part of a two-man midfield alongside Nemanja Matic. While Matic will be tasked with holding and shielding his defence, Weigl’s ability to spread the game would free up United’s attack to create mayhem in the final third for the opposition.
Arturo Vidal
Arturo Vidal of Bayern Munich has been a powerhouse for the Bavarians. The midfield dynamo from Chile is a mainstay in the middle of the park for them and has a playing style that makes him an ideal modern day midfielder. He is smart on the ball and has a peripheral range of distribution. However, what makes him a world class midfielder is the fact that he is an absolute nightmare to deal with when off the ball. He can cover every blade of grass on a weekly basis and has a knack for the outrageous shots from outside the box. Vidal’s ability to tackle, pass and bully complimented with Matic’s experience of knowing when to sit back and when to push forward would make their pairing invaluable.
