As reported by Express, ESPN FC pundit Steve Nicol believes Manchester United should make a move for Kalidou Koulibaly in addition of signing Harry Maguire this summer. The former Scottish footballer is firm that United require a major overhaul in defence and he has identified both Maguire and Koulibaly as answers to their defensive problems.
“I would say that not only do they need Harry Maguire or Koulibaly, but they need both of them. They have [Victor] Lindelof, [Eric] Bailly, [Chris] Smalling, [Phil] Jones, [Marcos] Rojo plays centre-back. You know what, not one of them gets in a proper team” – Nicol said.
What can Koulibaly add to the table?
Koulibaly is regarded as one of Serie A’s best defenders, having enjoyed a stellar spell at Napoli. He is also quite experienced at the highest level of football, having made 212 competitive appearances for the Partenopei.
The Senegalese international is primarily known for his ability to play the ball out from the back. He notably attained a pass completion rate of 88% during the 2018/19 campaign. Besides, the 28-year-old is an excellent tackler, having attempted 2.2 tackles per game with a tremendous accuracy of 77%.
Furthermore, Koulibaly excels in reading the game that allows him to cut off passing lanes not only in defence but also in midfield as he often likes to move forward. The defender averaged 1.1 interceptions per game last season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
Could the Koulibaly + Maguire duo succeed at United?
Signing both Koulibaly and Maguire essentially means Victor Lindelof will lose his place in the starting lineup. The Swede was by far the club’s best centre-back last season. But, the move could pay off given the quality these two defenders could offer to the table.
Koulibaly, in particular, is a passing machine at the back. He could enhance United’s build-up play and combine well with Luke Shaw in Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer’s left-sided overload. Aside from that, the Senegalese international’s physical and aerial prowess will make the Red Devils quite formidable in defence.
As for Maguire, he has already proven himself in the Premier League, having enjoyed two good seasons at Leicester. The English international is known for his robust and no-nonsense style of defending that could complement the technically astute figure of Koulibaly.
Hence, it’s fair to say that the duo of Maguire and Koulibaly could add another dimension to the United backline and make them one of the best defensive sides in Europe.
Manchester United could face financial restraints
Financial shortcomings haven’t historically been a problem for Manchester United. But, both the defenders have valuations over £80 million. That means the Red Devils must get rid of their current crop of defenders if they are to fund a move for these two talented defensive stalwarts.
Lindelof was notably linked with a move to Barcelona earlier this summer. As for Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo, both have struggled to adapt at Old Trafford and should leave the club. The future of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, however, remain unclear.
That being said, Real Madrid are increasingly confident of signing Paul Pogba this summer. And the Frenchman’s departure could considerably boost United’s transfer kitty that should enable them to fund moves for their prime targets as we head to the final phase of the ongoing transfer window.
