Frenkie de Jong, Darwin Nunez, Jurrien Timber and Antony. What’s common among all these players? All of them are being linked with a likely move to Man Utd, yes. However, another commonality among them is that none of these players will Manchester United a successful team, not even if all of them end up at the club. Why?
Because Man Utd are once again putting a bandaid on a broken bone. In football terms, the club has a glaring hole in the “No 6” position, that of a pure defensive midfielder. Yet, they keep going after marquee names like Frenkie de Jong (NOT a No 6) or are eager to sign players elsewhere on the pitch.
Club’s only true No 6 all these years, Nemanja Matic announced his departure before the end of the season. Even then, his advancing age rarely allowed him to finish games with the same gusto he started with. The result was clear. Manchester United looked like a far better and cohesive team when Matic was at his best. In his absence, the role of the defensive midfielder was carried out in groups.
United won’t look like a cohesive team unless they can get a player that is elite in at least one facet of a defensive midfielder because they are in a curious position. Each midfielder on their books has one skill required of a No 6 without being the whole package.
Sometimes, it was the energy of Fred and Mctominay at the expense of ball-playing skills. Other times, it was the flair of Pogba at the expense of positional awareness and defensive aptitude.
While the signings of players like Antony and Nunez will undoubtedly make United better, the chaos that has reigned on the pitch all these years will only be calmed with a true No 6. Chaos can win you a game or two while being thrilling, but if the luck turns, you get a season like the one United had now. Only a proper No 6 can turn that chaos into control.