According to Goal, Manchester United are on the verge of completing a £55 million move for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Crystal Palace right-back is set to undergo a medical at Old Trafford before the two clubs can confirm the deal, which would make Wan-Bissaka the most expensive right-back in the history of football.
The report claims that the 21-year-old is due to arrive at United’s Carrington training complex, where he will complete his medical. The completion of this transfer could allow the Red Devils to focus on other targets as they aim to undergo a massive squad overhaul this summer.
Why Wan-Bissaka could solve one big issue for Man United
One of Manchester United’s main problems in recent years has been their lack of a quality fullback. Although Luke Shaw has done relatively well after recovering from his injury troubles, United have consistently struggled to find a reliable option in the right-back slot.
Matteo Darmian has been a massive flop after coming in from Torino back in 2015. Although Jose Mourinho did rope in Diogo Dalot last summer, he too struggled to adapt and cope with the soaring expectations from the United fans.
As a result, the club has often appeared overreliant on the services of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young. But, with Valencia already announcing his exit from Old Trafford this summer, Young would remain Manchester United’s only option in the right back position. However, the veteran defender is already in the final phase of his career and can’t be considered as a reliable long-term option in the right-back slot.
Wan-Bissaka, in that regard, could solve United’s problems in the said position. The Crystal Palace star has arguably been the most effective right-back in the Premier League this past season and could be an excellent replacement for departing Valencia.
The addition of Wan-Bissaka could make sense from a tactical perspective
What makes Wan-Bissaka such an appealing target for Manchester United is his defence-oriented nature. The 21-year-old, unlike most modern day fullbacks, is well aware of his defensive duties.
The defender notably made 129 successful tackles and completed 84 interceptions, which were third and second highest in the league. He also averaged 3.7 clearances while winning 1.2 headed duels per game, which is indicative of his defensive work-rate.
And this will surely provide more stability to the Manchester United backline, especially given their left-sided overload. That means Shaw is the one who generally moves up the pitch and provides attacking support from the flanks while the right-back operates in a relatively deeper role.
However, United visibly struggled when employing this method due to the lack of defensive solidity from the likes of Young or Valencia. But, with Wan-Bissaka coming in, he could add another dimension to the defence as the Red Devils look to kickstart a new era under Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer next season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
