Scout Report – Carlos Soler
Manchester United are believed to be scanning the market for a new central midfielder and one name that has made it to their list is Carlos Soler. The Valencia player could move to Old Trafford in January if the deal goes through. In fact, Jose Mourinho is keen to secure the move before a bidding war ensues with other prospective suitors.
The Spain under-21 midfielder has a £75m buy-out clause in his current contract but the La Liga side are likely to negotiate for a lower fee.
History
Born in Valencia, Soler joined the club’s youth setup in 2005 at the tender of age of 8. Although he initially played as a striker, he was later deployed as an attacking midfielder but he now plays as a central midfielder. He made his senior debut with the Valencia reserves in 2015, and scored his first senior goal later in December that year.
About a year later, Soler fought through to make his first team debut, replacing Mario Suarez in a 2-3 loss against Real Sociedad at the Anoeta Stadium.
Playing Style
A naturally versatile player, Soler is adept at playing as a central midfielder, as an attacking midfielder and also does quite well on the right-hand side of the midfield. In 9 La Liga appearances so far this season, he has scored one goal while also providing 4 assists. He is strong at playing through balls and can also hold on to the ball quite well.
One might even call the youngster’s style as old-school, considering how much he loves to dribble. Additionally, Soler is also an indirect set-piece threat, which makes him a valuable asset. However, he is weak when it comes to tackling and does not contribute much to the defence, but then that is not what he plays for. Soler is an exciting attack-minded midfielder, and that is what he does best.
Soler’s Future
Moving to a club like Manchester United will certainly be an exciting prospect for the youngster. Regular game time will be something on his mind but at the same time, he should be keen on joining a side where he can play alongside the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera.
Interestingly, Fellaini, Herrera and Carrick are set to be out of contract in the summer. Although United are likely to renew their deals as of now, Mourinho will be looking to add midfield cover after seeing the way United faltered once Pogba and Fellaini succumbed to injuries. Since Soler is very young, he will be seen as a long-term contender to play alongside Pogba and Nemanja Matic, making it sound like a very lethal combination.