Manchester United plot Sir Alex Ferguson move to beat Arsenal to ‘duel monster’

Manchester United have been linked with Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi as they prepare to bolster their midfield options this summer.

According to journalist Abdellah Boulma, United have stepped up their interest in Bouaddi. They are ready to meet his agents and are considering using Sir Alex Ferguson to convince him to join the club.

The 18-year-old is also being monitored by Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, highlighting the level of competition United could face for his signing.

PSG have presented their project to him, but Lille President Olivier Letang reportedly wants more than €50 million for his services.

Bouaddi broke into Lille’s first team in 2023, but only became a regular last term. He has made 34 starts across all competitions for the French side this season.

The France youth international is a defensive midfielder, making him a potential replacement for the departing Casemiro.

How does Bouaddi compare to Casemiro this season?

Bouaddi is more dominant in duels, ranking in the 74th percentile for duels won in Ligue 1, compared to Casemiro’s 67th percentile in the Premier League.

However, the Brazilian is a more prolific ball winner, placing in the 99th percentile for possession won, higher than the French youngster’s 79th percentile.

Bouaddi ranks higher than Casemiro for progressive carries (46th percentile vs 8th), but the United midfielder comes top for progressive passes (86th percentile vs 23rd).

Casemiro also offers a better attacking threat, providing 11 league goal involvements, while Bouaddi has one.

Bouaddi is still light-years behind Casemiro. As a result, United have to explore better alternatives to replace the Brazil international.

Eduardo Camavinga would be a perfect target, with the Frenchman facing an uncertain future at Real Madrid.

Stats from datamb.com & transfermarkt.com

Article written by Henry Thornton .