The case for Eduardo Camavinga to Manchester United grows stronger

Manchester United will head into the summer transfer window with one primary aim – significantly strengthening their midfield options.

With Casemiro set to leave the club and Manuel Ugarte likely to be sold, the Red Devils need to sign two top-class midfielders.

United have been linked with Elliot Anderson, but Nottingham Forest’s excessive financial demands make him an improbable transfer target.

By contrast, Eduardo Camavinga’s future at Real Madrid looks increasingly fragile, and United could capitalise by submitting an offer at the end of the season.

Read on as we assess why the Frenchman is an ideal option for United and how his signing would open the door for the club to sign another midfielder.

United must step up their interest in Camavinga

The Red Devils were previously linked with Camavinga when he was at Rennes, but he ultimately decided to sign for Madrid.

While he has shown flashes of brilliance for the La Liga giants, he has not been helped by being repeatedly played out of position.

His confidence took another knock when he was dismissed in the Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, and his future in Madrid looks increasingly tenuous.

The 23-year-old still has plenty of time to fulfil his potential, and United could give him the platform to demonstrate why they initially wanted him in 2021.

He could prove to be a high-quality replacement for Casemiro and a significant upgrade on Ugarte if he is given a sustained run of games in the middle of the park.

It is worth noting that his overall statistics are better than Anderson’s, yet he could be available for around £50 million this summer.

Camavinga has the quality to be an immediate starter in his favoured position for United, making a move a win-win situation for all parties.

The Red Devils cannot afford to put their eggs into one basket

Anderson is undoubtedly a decent player. He has made his mark with Forest and is expected to be a regular starter for England at the World Cup.

However, Forest reportedly want £120m for Anderson. To their credit, United believe the asking price is vastly inflated and will not enter into a bidding war.

Manchester City appear to be the most likely destination for Anderson this summer, and United would be well advised to step aside and leave them to it.

The Forest midfielder is functional rather than spectacular. For United to spend £120m on a player, he would need to be a world-beater. That description does not apply to Anderson.

Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton would be a more viable target, given that a fee of around £75m could be enough to prise him away from Selhurst Park.

Wharton may relish the opportunity to return to the north west, and United would be the ideal destination for a player who has the world at his feet.

His detractors point to a perceived lack of physicality – a view that conveniently overlooks the fact that he can pick out passes that no one else sees.

Wharton bears many similarities to Michael Carrick, whose value to United was only truly recognised once his playing career ended.

It has been suggested that Wharton is too similar to Kobbie Mainoo, but that stance can only have been taken by people who haven’t been paying enough attention.

Signing Camavinga and Wharton for a similar outlay to that required to acquire Anderson is a market opportunity that United cannot afford to miss.

Article written by michaeljblack .