According to Mundo Deportivo, as cited by Mirror, Manchester United have identified Ivan Rakitic as the ideal alternative should their pursuit of Bruno Fernandes fail. The Red Devils were leading the chase to sign the Portuguese until Tottenham Hotspur joined the race. As a result, Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer has set his sights on Rakitic and is ready to fork out £45 million for the Barcelona midfielder.
But is Rakitic really a better option than Fernandes? Let’s take a look at how these two midfielders stack up against each other.
Style of play and what they can offer
The two midfielders are not similar when it comes to their style of play. Rakitic, though an attack-minded midfielder, prefers to operate in deeper areas of the pitch – mostly as a number eight. As for Fernandes, he is more of an out and out number ten, though he is labelled as a central midfielder.
Rakitic has considerably higher defensive work-rate and is a much better passer of the ball. He likes to operate as the missing link between the midfield and the attack. Besides, the Croatian international can also be utilised as a ball winner in midfield.
Fernandes, in contrast, generally tends to look for forward passes soon after receiving the ball. He is quite direct when it comes to creating chances. But, at the same time, he is also proficient in set-pieces though Rakitic isn’t far behind either.
How will each of them fit into Man United
Both the players can feature anywhere across the central midfield, meaning they will be relatively easier for Solskjaer to accomodate into the starting lineup. Rakitic, in particular, can occupy the number eight role alongside Fred or Paul Pogba (if he remains at the club) in Solskjaer’s 4-3-1-2 setup.
The Croatian can also be deployed as the deep-lying playmaker, though central midfield remains his preferred slot. As for Fernandes, he, too, can be used as a number eight. But, the Portuguese international offers a bit more versatility as he is equally comfortable playing as a number ten. That means the 24-year-old can feature as the lone attacking midfielder, just behind the two strikers in the 4-3-1-2.
Who is the better option for Solskjaer?
Both of these midfielders are extraordinarily talented and capable of enhancing the overall quality of the Manchester United midfield. But, Rakitic, due to his vast experience at the highest level of football, is the more viable option for the Red Devils.
Besides, the ex-Schalke prodigy is also a cheaper option, though he cannot be considered as a long-term solution at the age of 31. Hence, it could be ideal if United manage to sign both these midfielders, even at the expense of Paul Pogba. The Frenchman’s reported valuation of over £150 million is more than enough for United to sanction moves for the duo of Rakitic and Fernandes this summer.
