With January just around the corner, Ruben Amorim will have his first opportunity to make changes to his Manchester United squad after his appointment back in November.
The 39-year-old will have numerous big calls to make over the futures of multiple first-team members, whilst also potentially wanting to bolster his ranks as they look to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Any player that does complete a move to Old Trafford will have to adapt to Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, which has worked wonders to date, helping them claim a 2-1 win over rivals Manchester City last weekend.
Such a switch has seen the likes of Alejandro Garnacho struggle to keep his place after the change of management, with the Argentine missing the trip to the Etihad after being completely left out of the squad.
However, he may find it even harder to regain his starting role should a deal be struck for one player who appears to be on the Red Devils’ radar if recent stories are to be believed.
Man Utd make bid for attacking sensation
According to one Spanish outlet, United have made a “formal bid” to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams ahead of the January transfer window.
The Red Devils aren’t alone in their pursuit of the Spaniard, with PSG and Barcelona also monitoring a move for the 22-year-old who has a €58m (£47m) release clause in his current deal.
Despite the interest from the aforementioned clubs, the report states that United are currently leading the race for his signature as Amorim looks to secure his first addition in the coming weeks.
Williams caught the eye during the summer, scoring in the Euro 2024 final against England, breaking the hearts of an entire nation who have now gone 58 years without a major international trophy.
Any deal could spell the end of one player’s time at Old Trafford, potentially ending his long-term affiliation with the club given his own rumours about a potential transfer.
Why Williams would be an upgrade on Rashford
Marcus Rashford has been at United since he was a young boy, but seamlessly made the jump into the first team as a teenager back in 2016, scoring four times in his first two appearances.
He’s since made over 400 appearances at Old Trafford, featuring under various managers, but it appears that he may have no part to play under the new regime of Amorim after being left out of the trip to the Etihad alongside Garnacho.
It’s safe to say, the Englishman now needs a fresh start to reignite his once-promising career, but the club would be holding out for a fee in the region of £40m amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
Such a figure would be a decent fee given his lack of form in recent months, but they would have themselves a readymade replacement should they sign Williams, given the recent reports.
When comparing their respective stats from the current campaign, it’s clear that the Spaniard would be an upgrade on the current first-team star, taking the forward line to the next level in the process.
Williams, who’s previously been dubbed “one of the best wingers” by analyst Ben Mattinson, may have registered fewer goals and assists to date, but has averaged more progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 – potentially forming an exciting partnership with Amad Diallo, who’s nailed down the right-sided role.
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How Nico Williams compares to Marcus Rashford in 2024/25 |
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|---|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
Williams |
Rashford |
|
Games played |
16 |
15 |
|
Goals & assists |
4 |
5 |
|
Progressive carries |
6.3 |
1.8 |
|
Progressive passes |
3.2 |
1.9 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
5.4 |
2.7 |
|
Take-ons completed |
2.9 |
0.8 |
|
Take-on percentage |
37% |
23% |
|
Aerials won |
47% |
42% |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
He’s also created more shot-creating actions and progressive passes offering that added creative threat that he desires in the final third to help achieve his goal of being a success at Old Trafford.
The £47m fee touted for his services would be an absolute bargain given his figures from this season, allowing the fanbase to forget about Rashford should he depart in the near future.
However, given the interest from elsewhere, United will have to act quickly to secure his services to avoid missing out on a talent who is only going to progress further given his youthful years.
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