The Daily Mirror has recently claimed that Manchester United have joined the race to land Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell this summer. It is believed that Chelsea remain the favourites to secure the services of the Foxes defender, but will face competition from the Red Devils in pursuit of the player during this summer transfer window (via The Daily Mirror).
Chilwell’s Season Of Mixed Emotions At Leicester
Chilwell experienced a rollercoaster of a season with the East Midlands outfit after he impressed in patches as his team ended up missing out a top-four finish in the Premier League. He featured in 33 matches for the Foxes in the previous campaign, netting three goals and providing four assists across all fronts. However, the English full-back missed several key games for Leicester in the run-in to the important clash with Manchester United on the final day of last season which Leicester ended up losing by a 2-0 scoreline.
The 23-year-old has shown some consistency by averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 2.0 clearances, 0.6 shots, 1.3 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per 90 minutes in the English top tier. However, Chilwell could be a bit tidier when distributing the ball as his pass success rate stands at 78.3% in league football (stats via whoscored).
The 11-time England international has been one of the top performers at the King Power Stadium over the past couple of seasons. Hence, he could serve as an ideal option for the Reds Devils to contemplate heading into the new campaign.
What Will The Foxes Full-Back Bring To The Theatre Of Dreams?
Chilwell is a willing runner down the left flank and is not afraid to utilise his pace to get past his marker so that he can reach the byline. He can also be an accurate crosser of the ball and doesn’t mind having a pop from long range if given time and space by the opposition.
The English talent has even proven himself as a vital component of the Leicester defence by averaging two clearances per game in the recently concluded Premier League campaign. Chilwell can read the danger quickly that allows him to pull off a few vital interceptions at the back as well.
At 23, the Foxes left-back is on the verge of hitting the prime stage of his football career, so a summer switch to Old Trafford could be the perfect opportunity for him to enhance his reputation in both English and European football.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has currently got Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams vying for a left-back berth at the north-west of England. Maybe the Norwegian head coach should put his faith on the duo so that they can show some signs of progress in the coming seasons. Chilwell’s addition could hinder Williams’ development as well, which won’t benefit Man United in the long-run. With all things considered, the Red Devils are better off spending their money on strengthening some of the other areas of their squad as they have no immediate need to land Chilwell in this off-season.
