Why Man United signing Steven Bergwijn could prove to be a smart move
According to a Daily Star report, Manchester United are once again reviving their interests in signing PSV Eindhoven winger Steven Bergwijn.
Back in January, the Dutch youngster was linked with a move to Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports.
Despite signing a contract in the summer which will keep him at the club until 2023, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and United are keen on making a move for this three-time Eredivisie champion.
Meanwhile, United are currently seventh in the league, after a string of poor performances at the beginning of the season.
Vying for a champions league berth, United currently are nine-points short of fourth-placed Manchester City.
Bergwijn, who has three goals and nine assists from all competitions this year, has however denied a move to United as sources close to him reveal that the Holland international prefers a move to a Champions League club.
However, the youngster is presently out of action after injuring his hamstring while playing for PSV in a Europa League encounter.
The Red Devils have had plenty of problems in the attack this year, as they have managed to score just 16 goals, after failing to secure a clinical finisher since Romelu Lukaku’s departure this summer.
Earlier, United boss Ole had decided to go with forwards Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for the striker’s role rather than spending on any new signings.
But things haven’t worked according to plan for the Norwegian as the United forwards failed to execute the desired results, especially in the initial stages of the season.
Moreover, Rashford and Martial have been burdened with the extra responsibility of adding creativity to their attack, with the Devils midfield looking completely devoid of ideas.
With Paul Pogba out due to injury, the Englishman and Martial have been United’s most creative players this season, with three assists to their names respectively.
Bergwijn meanwhile has been Eindhoven’s second-best player this season statistically, according to Whoscored.
Also, the Amsterdam-born ace winger has been their leading assist-provider this year, with seven from ten appearances.
He was the standout performer for the former Dutch champions last year, and his remarkable display of 14 goals and 12 assists in the Eredivisie had attracted interest in Europe.
Often deployed as a winger, Bergwijn is more comfortable playing on the left flank, a position Rashford has cemented for himself at Old Trafford.
But the 22-year-old Bergwijn, blessed with excellent dribbling skills, could be a potent threat if positioned anywhere in the attack, which is quite evident from his performances in the past season.
Another United winger Daniel James, meanwhile, has failed to keep up the momentum after a rather promising start to his career scoring three goals in four league matches.
The Wales youngster’s form has dipped in recent games, as he struggles to find the back of the net, with his last goal coming in August against Crystal Palace.
Verdict
Bergwijn’s arrival could be the perfect foil for James, who is a regular in the side under Ole as this would offer the Norwegian more options in the attack given his side’s poor record in front of goal this season.
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With a record 105 successful dribbles to his credit in the Dutch league last season, the Eindhoven winger could prove to be the x-factor that has long eluded the once title winners.
Ole could take note of this and make a smart move for this £40m-rated star in order to bolster their creativity and goal-scoring options upfront.