According to a recent report by Foot Mercato, Manchester United will face fierce competition from Arsenal, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Napoli in pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso this summer. The same source has also stated that the Bavarian giants are looking to part ways with their prized asset which could open the door for any of his potential suitors including the Red Devils to pounce on his signature.
Tolisso’s Struggles In The Bundesliga This Season
The Tarare-born talent has endured an underwhelming campaign at the Allianz Arena as he has failed to secure regular first-team football so far. He has also missed a few games this season because of a calf muscle strain which has not helped his cause. Tolisso has featured in 24 matches for the German giants this term, registering three goals and five assists across all competitions which shows how well he has performed despite receiving only 1359 minutes of playing time on the field.
The former Olympique Lyonnais playmaker has averaged 1.4 shots, 1.1 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season (stats via whoscored). His numbers highlight his lack of consistency going forward, which explains why Bayern are looking to cash in on him this summer.
Tolisso has appeared in 21 international fixtures for the French national side, scoring one goal in the process. Maybe a change of scenery ahead of the new season could give him the platform to reignite his form and catch the attention of Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps before the start of the UEFA European Championship which will now kick-off in the summer of 2021 as a result of the recent COVID-19 outbreak.
What Does The French Playmaker Offer On The Pitch?
Tolisso is a moderately-paced midfielder but can still make some driving runs with the ball in the opposition half. He is often quite tidy with his ball-distribution after completing 89.9% of his attempted passes this season (stats via whoscored). The Frenchman also packs a lot of power and precision with his shot attempts from long range and has the vision to unlock a rigid defence as well. Furthermore, he works hard for his team and can win his fair share of aerial duels in midfield.
Is Tolisso The Right Fit For Solskjaer?
As long as Tolisso can remain fit and healthy, he will be a decent fit for the Red Devils. The Bayern midfield ace will not only add more goals and creativity to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield but also provide some healthy competition for the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira and Nemanja Matic for one of the midfield spots in the Man United first-team.
Tolisso’s addition will improve the overall depth of Solskjaer’s squad and will also allow the Norwegian head coach to change his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation and play with three midfielders across the centre of the park more often next season. The Mancunian giants need a squad player like Tolisso so that they can compete for multiple trophies in the coming years. Hence, it makes sense for them to go all out in pursuit of the France international before the start of the new season.
