The Dutchman is on the hunt for a midfielder (Image: Getty)
Erik ten Hag looks to be eyeing up specific traits from his next midfield signing – with a trio of stars linked with Manchester United all sharing compliments of high character. The Dutchman has been chasing a midfielder all summer with the Premier League club noticeably short in terms of quality and depth in the engine room.
While a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte has cooled with the Red Devils refusing to meet the £51million price tag placed on the Uruguayuan midfielder, a deal could yet be revived. The stall in progression for the 23-year-old has led United to pursue other options with a number of midfielders being rumoured to be of interest to Ten Hag, who’ll be entering his third season at Old Trafford.
The 54-year-old seems to have a certain mould in mind when looking for his next midfield signing with reported targets Palmeiras star Richard Rios, Atalanta’s Ederson, and Burnley ace Sander Berge all being praised for their character in the past
Rios, who has earned 13 caps for Colombia, has been linked with Everton and Leicester City and on top of his footballing skills, it’s his mental fortitude and high character that Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira was most impressed with after a 3-0 win over Fortaleza last season.
“He’s a good player who helps us,” Ferreira said after the game, where Rios bagged the third goal. “When I look at a player it isn’t just about his technique, it’s about tactics, physicality, mentality and character. He has a good character.”
Similar compliments made for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who’s been subject to reported interest from Liverpool after a stellar season with the Serie A side which saw him capture the Europa League trophy last term. His former Corinthians boss Tiago Nunes waxed lyrical about his technical abilities as well as his impenetrable mentality.
Brazilian Ederson (L) is a reported target for the Red Devils (Image: Getty)
“My first impressions were of a player with a lot of strength, a lot of physical ability, a player who was a powerful striker on the ball, with good technique,” Nunes said. “Basically, someone with characteristics that are difficult to find, especially in Brazilian football.
“He has two main strengths. Firstly, on the pitch, he has great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game. Secondly, he has a very strong mentality, with a very clear awareness of what he wants.
“I see him playing as a box-to-box player, a midfielder who isn’t really someone to build the game but more of a player who can break through lines, get into the final third, progress up the field. I see him more as a midfielder with the freedom to get forward.”
Negotiations for Manuel Ugarte have stalled (Image: Getty)
Another player commended for their disposition on the football pitch is Burnley’s Berge, who was subject to mass praise from former Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom. “Football-wise, he’s been great all the time,” Heckingbottom said of Berge during his time in Sheffield.
“We told him there was goals in this game for him, and he got half a yard and got a shot off. He’s been performing like that all the time, scoring goals since day one, and I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“We love him here. Not just as a footballer; he’s a fantastic person and you can see what we think of him. His performances on the pitch are great but how he carries himself is even better and we’re delighted to still have him.”
Whoever it is that Ten Hag will have at his disposal for the upcoming campaign, it seems inevitable there’ll bring a top level of professionalism to the dressing room – something which seems to have been severely lacking in recent years.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1933290/man-utd-transfer-news-erik-ten-hag