Veteran striker Edinson Cavani recently penned down a one-year contract extension at Manchester United, which will keep him at the club until June 2022.
‘Manchester United is delighted to announce that Edinson Cavani has agreed on a one-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until June 2022.’ – The official website stated.
Despite a slow start to the campaign, the Uruguayan striker has managed to pick up the pace in the past few weeks, and it would be an understatement to say he has provided the Red Devils with a completely different option going forward – something Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lacked previously with Anthony Martial up top.
While there’s no denying that Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba are exceeding expectations at the centre of the park every week, it’s Cavani who is delivering the end product. As a 34-year-old, who has been playing at the elite level for almost two decades now, his movement in and around the box is simply out of the world. It’s not just about his goals; it’s about what he offers in the process time and again. The wide array of options he offers going forward are simply incredible – be it dropping deep to allow Fernandes to push forward, drawing attackers to create channels for the wide-men, or effortlessly finishing off the one chance that comes his way – he can do it all. Moreover, he knows precisely how to time his runs into the box or stretch the opposition backline to give his teammates more space – which clearly underlines the level of experience he brings to the side.
While his contributions on the pitch are of utmost importance, his influence on the youngsters is just as significant. Cavani’s presence on the training ground does have a great influence on youngsters like Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford – it’s like the students learning from the master. There are certain things that money cannot buy, and this is certainly one of them.
“I said when Edinson signed that he would bring energy, power and leadership to this group, and I haven’t been proved wrong; he has been everything I thought he would be and more.” – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated.
“As coaches, we knew about his goal-scoring record. However, it is his personality that has brought so much to this squad; he has a winning mentality and has an unequivocal attitude to everything he does.”
“Edinson is one of the last to leave the training ground and sets the tone for the upcoming youngsters with his approach to his profession every single day. I have always wanted him to stay and experience the way our fans will respond to him as a player, and this means he will hopefully get that opportunity.”
Besides, the Uruguayan international’s extended stay means the board can now shift their priorities in the upcoming transfer window. It could pave the way for the signing of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho. Recent reports from Goal state that the German club has lowered the asking price for the Englishman to £78 million (from £108m), and given Dortmund’s failure to qualify for the upcoming Champions League campaign, the club could be forced to let him go.
