Manchester United seem to be losing their way at the top of the table, having lost their spark from the start of the season. They are just one negative result away from dropping to the 3rd place in the points table and Jose Mourinho is now desperate to shake things up at Old Trafford.
The January transfer window will give the Red Devils a chance to add some fresh faces, who can help them regain their dominance at the top for the rest of the season and this has see the club linked with some of the finest talents in world football at the moment. One such player constantly on Manchester United’s radar is Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes.
According to reports in Spain, Mourinho is now desperate for his signature and is set to make an official move in January. Having made just two starts this season in La Liga, Gomes might be tempted to shift to Old Trafford and the report claims that a fee of £31m might be enough for the English outfit to land the midfielder.
It is also understood that super agent Jorge Mendes is also trying to push this move through, to give his client more game time on the field and it increasingly looks like Gomes might be a part of the United squad come February. But is he the right man for the Red Devils?
Known for his strength, vision and technical ability, Gomes is a versatile midfielder, who can not only sit back and break up attacks but can also be effective in counter attacks, creating chances consistently. He has not been able to play to his strengths at Camp Nou and has just three goals and three assists in 62 La Liga outings at the Camp Nou.
However, at just 24, he has 101 La Liga appearances, 21 UCL appearances and 27 international caps for Portugal and is an established star in Europe. His style of play is perfect for the English game, more so for Mourinho’s system.
The Portuguese manager has used a 4-2-3-1 system this season which has seen Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba hog the midfield places. However, record signing Paul Pogba is better equipped in a 4-3-3 on the right side of the midfield and adding Gomes will allow United to play the French international and the Portuguese midfielder alongside Matic in the midfield.
This will not only add some stability to their midfield, but will also give them the right balance needed to sustain a title charge in the domestic league. If Mourinho wants to stick to a 4-2-3-1, Gomes can play as a CAM but will probably end up being a backup for Paul Pogba, while Ander Herrera and Matic will take their turns in the other midfield role.
He may not be the best option available but Gomes adds a different dimension to the Manchester United midfield but is he the right man for Mourinho?
