“You wouldn’t think it’s Man United they are playing” said my non-footballing genius mother, as a distinctly average Blackburn side ruthlessly tore through Manchester United last week. That’s right, anyone can see that Fergie has problems, massive problems.
The Red Devil’s good form at the start of this term appears to have been a red herring, with the club now deep into a crisis on the pitch, and none more so than in the central midfield area.
As much as Tom Cleverely may be the right man to replace Scholes in the future, he has yet to have proved himself on a week-to-week basis, which leave United short of a creative spark in midfield, someone who can patrol that fine line between defence and attack and pick the killer pass. Step forward Riccardo Montolivo.
The Fiorentina and Italy middle man is perfect for the role Sir Alex is in dire need of, and apart from a few less than newsworthy links, there has been no concrete interest in the player.
Considered the archetypal deep-lying playmaker or ‘regista’ as they prefer to call it in the Italian media, Montolivo ticks every box of what United are crying out for.
He must be expensive though? I hear you ask. No, he is out of contract with the Viola in the summer and would be available at a snip of under £8 million. Coupled with his still relativly young age of 26 and good injury record there isn’t a single reason not to obtain this player.
He can dictate the pace of a game, scores goals, isn’t afraid to put his foot in where in hurts, has World Cup and Champions League experience. The more you look into him, the more surprised you become at why Ferguson hasn’t made a bid.
Being of Italian-Germanic heritage, Montolivo shows all the flair and creativity of an Italian together with the steel and determination of a German. Make the phone call Fergie, this man could be the difference in the title race this year.
@paulhill3
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