One of the first things on Louis Van Gaal’s to-do list once he takes charge of Manchester United would be to sign a top-class midfielder to plug the gaping hole in central midfield. Over the past few weeks, Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho and Roma’s Kevin Strootman have emerged as strong favourites.
Although Carvalho has pledged his future to the club till 2018 and Roma are unlikely to sell the currently injured Strootman, Manchester United’s favourable relationship with Sporting and Van Gaal’s relationship with Strootman might just mean that the club are very well placed to snap them up if the opportunity presents itself.
So, who will prove to be a hit at Old Trafford? Or more pertinently, who is the player that the Red Devils need the most at the current moment? Is it the 24-year-old Dutchman who was an integral part of the Dutch squad in their qualification to the World Cup? Or will the 22-year-old who has been dubbed “the next big thing” to come out of Portugal be the man they need right now?
In terms of where they both play, they are slightly different. Although both play in central midfield, Carvalho plays as a defensive midfielder while Strootman is more of a box-to-box midfielder. Both are big, strong and athletic players who can take care of themselves on the pitch. Although neither are renowned for their goal scoring ability, the fact that Carvalho started out as a Number 10 and Strootman is a box-to-box midfielder means that both of them can chip in with their fair share of goals.
Aged just 22, Carvalho has had an eventful last 12 months, from not even being in Sporting squad to being in the Portugal squad for the World Cup which starts in a week’s time. His performances for Sporting in the last campaign, where started all but one League game and led the side in both tackles and interceptions have firmly established his credentials of being one of the finest defensive midfielders in Europe at the moment.
Strootman’s season has been just as good, even if wasn’t nearly as drastic as Carvalho’s. Having just signed for Roma last summer, the Dutchman has quickly established himself as a mainstay of the side and formed a deadly partnership with Daniele De Rossi. Nobody made more tackles than Strootman at the club and for the national side, he played more minutes than any other play in Holland’s qualifying campaign. But for an injury, he would be the first name on the team sheet for the national side.
Both players are born leaders, possessing the ability to not just play out their role but also lift the spirits of their side and push them further. While Carvalho has been used more as a defensive midfielder, his ability on the ball, agility off it and his passing range means that he wouldn’t be out of place as a more attacking option from central world. Strootman on the other hand, will give United what they have lacked since the departure of Roy Keane, a world-class box-to-box midfielder.
In an ideal world, both Strootman and Carvalho would arrive and thrive at Old Trafford, given the paucity of cover in central midfield. But, if the club were to sign just one among the two, the more experienced Strootman would be the way to go. Not just because Van Gaal knows him well, but also because of the fact that he would provide more tactical flexibility to the side, by virtue of being able to play as a defensive midfielder, as one half of a two man central midfield and also a box-to-box midfielder.