Football Friends Online – When 90 Mins Is Not EnoughScouting Report: Manchester United Linked With £37.5m Midfielder - Football Friends Online - When 90 Mins Is Not Enough Scouting Report: Manchester United Linked With £37.5m Midfielder - Football Friends Online - When 90 Mins Is Not Enough

Scouting Report: Manchester United Linked With £37.5m Midfielder

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United have sent a scouting team to Portugal to watch Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho, whose contract at his current club ends in 2018. I thought that I would run through a coupld of points about the player, and whether or not I think Moyes should be making a move for the £37.5 million man.

Strengths

The Portugal international is a strong player who has an immaculate tactical intelligence. He is rarely caught out of position and can hold the shape of his midfield even when squeezing tight on opponents, and for me that’s his greatest asset.

He is confident on the ball, his tackling is largely impressive and his powerful frame means he’s dominant in the air.

Weaknesses

Although it’s hard to pin point a weakness, he can sometimes be a bit rash when closing down an opponent. So rather than standing off the player and narrowing his options, there has been occasions when he goes in to intercept the ball or something similar, and the player simply spins off him.

He will, or at least should, grow out of this with experience though as he’s still only 21.

Where would he fit?

Although United have had a problem with their midfield, it has been more in the creative, attacking roles rather than the sitting places. The Red Devils have Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick, as well as Marouane Fellaini, so it could be difficult to fit him in, although he is a box-to-box players.

Yay or nay?

I would say yes, as long as Moyes gets rid of a few names in the summer. I would give Cleverley and Fletcher the boot and build the midfield around this player and Juan Mata.