Food For Thought – Manchester United’s £50m Target May Not Be As Strong As Antonio Valencia

Why Danny Rose Will Not Be As Strong As Antonio Valencia For Manchester United

Manchester United have been linked with a £50m move for Tottenham Hotspur left-back Danny Rose for quite some time. The January window is coming up and it will be an opportune moment for Jose Mourinho to add to his squad. The Red Devils have been quite strong this season even though they did have to endure spells of inconsistency.

Their last couple of displays have been encouraging enough but there’s still room for improvement. They could still attempt to make a strong title-challenge but catching arch-rivals Manchester City does seem tough.

It is not impossible though and it could be achieved if they sign the right players. There are certainly some areas that could improve. For example, the left-back position continues to be a cumbersome issue for Mourinho due to a lot of factors. However, is Danny Rose a good choice for Manchester United?

There is a lot of trouble brewing in that area for Mourinho. Luke Shaw’s prolonged injury has left Jose with no better option but to use Ashley Young as a makeshift left-back. Quite surprisingly though, Young has proven to be a revelation in that area. He has put in spectacular performances week in and week out without showing any signs of slowing down. Recently, Shaw made a return from the injury and is fit enough to start but Mourinho seems to have iced him out of the squad.

Young has been impressive but he is not a long-term solution. That is where Rose comes in but the player may not be as effective under the Portuguese tactician. Undoubtedly, Rose is talented but his skill-set may be different when compared to what Mourinho wants from his defenders.

A prime example of that would be a player like Antonio Valencia. Much like Young, Mourinho started using him as a right-back and he has been quite strong in that area. However, the way Young contributes to the attack, as well as defence, is truly remarkable. He even scored a brace recently, which only goes to show the true extent of his impact.

His energy level in making interceptions and tackles coupled with his dominance in the air has proven to be vital for Manchester United at the back. Very few of their current defenders are capable of replicating similar form and perhaps Mourinho should try to find a similar player to fill the void. Continuing with Young, for now, seems like the best option instead of spending money on a player who cannot provide as much as what someone like Valencia brings to the squad.