Top 5 Lesser known Defenders Who Might Still Help Manchester United’s Weak Link

After coming out on top during a nervy afternoon at Old Trafford, Manchester United have propelled to a 4th spot in Premier League and lurk above the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham in it. The scrambling 2-1 victory against fellow-Top 7-competing-side Everton will do a lot to boost the confidence of Louis van Gaal’s men in red and with Wayne Rooney absent, United can take some positives from the game which nearly ended on level begging.  Luck in the form of David de Gea’s astounding saves kept United in front but Louis van Gaal was right to bring to the fore some organization problems he has been encountering.

The failure to stay compact meant Everton forced De Gea into a penalty save at the end of the first half as well as a pair of brilliant dives as time wound down at the end of the match. The glaring need for an established centre back lurks and with Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling sidelined owing to injuries, a word more intense word than ‘glaring’ would fit in. Top notch centre halves such as Mats Hummels have been long linked with a move to Old Trafford but after the German’s appointment as the Borussia Dortmund captain, those links have taken a dent. Here is a list of lesser known centre backs who can well fill in the void at the back for Louis van Gaal.

Honorable Mentions:

Winston Reid- West Ham United

Joel Matip- FC Schalke

5. Eder Alvarez Balanta- River Plate

This 21 year old’s capabilities have led him to be heralded as the most promising young defender from the South American continent and the praises stretch out to the powerhouses of Europe. Barcelona are said to have been sniffing around Balanta for quite some time now and his reputation has taken a giant leap into the stride of European powerhouse clubs after his surprise World Cup call up and a series of commendable performances at club level. Much like most of his counterparts from South America, this lad  is powerfully built, strong in the air and a fearless tackler and is blessed with skill and speed.

He’s someone who has a knack for spraying long balls further forward and his ability to read the game is equally appreciable. At 21, there’s a long way to go in his career and a big club is sure to provide further impetus to his on-the-rise potential and Manchester United is a club which can do that. United need burly framed centre halves who have an aura of dominance around him and Eder Alvarez Balanta is someone who can deliver what they require.

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4. Inigo Martinez- Real Sociedad

For Manchester United faithfuls, this guy is recognizable as a centre half who gifted their side a comical  own goal last season during United’s Group Stage encounter against the Basque club. But in football, a mere poor performance is never enough to testify how talented a player actually is. Standing an inch below 6 ft, this Spaniard has emerged as one of the most coveted young centre back in the Spanish Primera Division.  Martinez is a composed left-footer who possesses a top-class reading of the game and an unerring aerial ability despite his diminutive 5ft 11 inch frame and last season, he won over half his aerial duels.

His aerial abilities aren’t the only strengths one can take into account but but in fact, he’s equally adept in defending on the ground. He averages a 0.9 blocks a game and makes an average of 6.1 clearances, as per Whoscored. There’s a substantial amount of composure in his play, evident from the fact that he doesn’t dive into challenges too much and carries the ball out of the defense, resembling how Mats Hummels does it. Another point which is worth jotting down is that he has already scored twice from the halfway line, indicative of the amount of confidence he has in himself and in what he does.

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3. Nicolas Otamendi- Valencia CF

The reputations of Valencia CF, along with the pair of Basque clubs is gradually augmenting in player blooming sector, off late. Bayern Munich’s Juan Bernat and Man United’s Ander Herrera are latest examples of those players who have risen through the pecking order to earn a name for themselves. The latest possible one is turning out to be Argentine centre back, Nicolas Otamendi. Along with Tottenham’s Federico Fazio, Otamendi is emerging as a vital part of a new crop of powerful centre halves with an uncompromising playing style. He is known for being a brilliant reader of the opposition’s game and his head stays as cool as a cucumber, mostly.

The former FC Porto man stands almost 6 ft tall and has time and time again shown that he’s one brilliant anticipator and loves to intercept play, even in the toughest of challenges evident from the fact that he makes an average of 2.7 interceptions per game. His versatility at right full back will come in handy for any team in the world, let alone Manchester United or the team he’s been linked with- Chelsea. He has some amount of experience under his belt, featuring 16 times for the senior Argentine squad and his former Vélez gaffer once said, in praise of him         “He plays like a veteran. In centre-backs, cases like this are very rare”.

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2. Andrea Ranocchia- Inter Milan

Here’s someone who’s long been associated with a move to almost all the big guns of England including Chelsea, City, Arsenal and Spurs and of course, Manchester United. A clamour for the Azzurri international’s signature suggests that he has been in outstanding form, and that any potential sale would be simply down to the financial benefits it would bring, rather than the club looking to find a superior replacement elsewhere.

Despite of enduring an injury stricken 2013-14 campaign, he draws comparison to Italian legend Alessandro Nesta, owing to his apt abilities of bringing the ball out of defense and to build up play from the back. Ranocchia is excellent at attacking the ball aerially and is particularly dangerous at corners, both scoring and knocking the ball into dangerous areas. With the pangs of the financial crisis still being felt in Italian football, Inter Milan may well think about selling Ranocchia if an offer in the region of 15 million is made.

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1. Ron Vlaar- Aston Villa

The FIFA World Cup actually resembled  a joyous, thrilling roller coaster ride for this 29 year old Aston Villa skipper. A rightful contender for being dubbed as a true Mr. Dependable, Vlaar played a  indispensable part in Louis van Gaal’s side’s impressive outing in Brazil. His impeccable consistency and unwavering leadership qualities stand out everywhere he plays and unlike some other top notch Premier League centre halves, this Dutchman has got a decent burst of pace as well. Since joining the Villains from Feyenoord in 2012, Vlaar has become an unerring brick wall for Paul Lambert’s side.

An experienced campaigner, the 29 year old remained unmoved at Villa despite of numerous defensive frailties and has now seemingly formed a decent defensive pairing with former Arsenal player Phillipe Senderos. The inability of superstar players such as Lionel Messi and Angel di Maria to get past Ron Vlaar goes to prove the Villain’s true mettle and has evident now become a heart of the Aston Villa team. He’s determined and knows what he wants to do, he’s that one established centre half Louis van Gaal would be craving to lay his hands onto. And with some contractual issues prevailing around his stay, a mvoe to a new club makes sense.