3 reasons Manchester United don’t need 18-year-old playmaker target
With the Daily Mail reporting that Manchester United will swoop for Derby County’s 18-year-old midfielder Will Hughes in January, here are three reasons why I think they should steer clear.
1) Shinji Kagawa
Why oh why would you look to spend such an amount of money on a player when you have a more established, better quality version already at the club? The Japan international is one of the most creative players in Europe, never mind the Manchester United squad, and can play in every role that Hughes can – whether that be in the central areas, on the right or on the left.
Kagawa made 20 appearances last season, but completed only four games, and scored six goals. He created 19 chances, completed 90% of his passes and won 60% of his duels.
David Moyes doesn’t seem a fan of the Japanese playmaker, but he is far superior to Hughes.
2) Presence
In my opinion, Moyes got it right with Marouane Fellaini in the summer. The physical presence that the Belgian offers is crucial, as is Yaya Toure’s in the Manchester City squad. Signing Hughes would be a backwards step in terms of that, as he’s as lightweight as they come.
With the likes of Ashley Young, Wilfried Zaha and Tom Cleverley already adding nothing in the physical department, similarly to the aforementioned Kagawa.
3) Options
For the amount of money that the club are likely to splash on the youngster, there are better options out there, in my eyes. There are plenty of players who are established in the topflights across Europe with experience on the big stage, rather than Hughes’ 50 odd games in the Championship.
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