According to Sky Sports, as cited by Metro, Manchester United are monitoring the situation of Norwich City fullback Max Aarons. The Red Devils have been linked with a move for Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer. But, they have identified Aarons as their desired alternative, should the Wan-Bissaka deal falls through. Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested in the player.
Max Aarons’ rapid rise to prominence
A product of the Norwich youth academy, Aarons has enjoyed a fantastic professional debut campaign after being promoted to the senior side last summer. The youngster ended up making 41 appearances in the English Championship, notching up over 3,600 minutes of league football.
Aarons’ services in the right-back slot offered Norwich with the much-needed width going forward, and the 19-year-old was also quite productive. He scored two and provided six assists. And it’s probably safe to say that Aarons’ performances were critical to an excellent season for Norwich that saw them getting promoted back to the English top flight.
What can Aarons offer to the table?
Aarons is predominantly a right-back, who likes to venture forward with the ball. He has excellent composure on the ball that allows him to drift past defenders at ease. So much so that he even seems like a natural winger, at times. The youngster has averaged 1.4 successful dribbles per game during the 2018/19 campaign.
Aside from his dribbling prowess, Aarons likes to make overlapping runs in the wide position and whip in dangerous crosses into the box. Also, he is quite a feisty defender, who is tough to be shrugged off the ball.
Defensively, the 19-year-old certainly needs to work on his aerial prowess as well as his man-marking. He is an aggressive tackler, however, and has averaged an impressive 1.6 tackles per game. He also notched up 1.1 interceptions per game, which is not bad for an attack-minded full-back.
Is Aarons the right choice for Manchester United?
Aarons may not be the ideal target for Manchester United given his lack of experience in the top-flight. The youngster is just enjoying his breakthrough in what was also his professional debut campaign. And though he has shown tremendous promise, one could sense that he may not be able to cope with the soaring expectation that is usually associated with any United newcomer.
Hence, the Red Devils should stick to Wan-Bissaka and do their best to sign the England fullback. And even if the deal falls through, they should look for a more well-established defender. Someone like Kieran Trippier, for example, may not be a bad choice.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
