Man Utd have their own Wharton & Anderson hybrid in £79m-rated “maestro”
Manchester United are set to pursue a move for a new midfielder in the next couple of transfer windows. There are a few names on their list, but two who keep cropping up as real options are England duo Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.
Neither of the two players would come cheap for the Red Devils. Both of their respective clubs, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, could ask for as much as £100m for each of the midfielders. Given the fact that the England star would perhaps be considered their club’s prize asset, it is no surprise they want so much money.
Aside from the price, it is easy to see why United want to sign one, or both, of the midfielders.
What Wharton and Anderson could bring to United
Someone who knows a thing or two about what makes a good United midfielder is Paul Scholes. Well, the legendary Red Devils midfielder said it’s “close” between the pair of them, suggesting there is not much difference in terms of quality.
However, they do have slightly different skill sets. The Palace number 20 is a master on the ball, excelling at turning out of tight spaces. He also averages 5.81 progressive passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Whilst he is very much a controller in the midfield, Scholes asked if he, “can he get around the pitch?” That implies there might be a lack of physicality to Wharton’s game. Anderson is more athletic and physical, perhaps highlighted best in the 8.25 ball recoveries per game he makes, placing him in the top 1% of Premier League midfielders.
However, the Forest star offers plenty of quality in possession, too. This term, he is playing 8.31 progressive passes each game, and assists like this for Chris Wood at the start of the season show the quality he has.
Ultimately, the England duo are both excellent players. Yet, United might be able to save themselves a lot of money by unleashing an in-house star.
United’s in-house version of Wharton and Anderson
It is quite frustrating for United fans that homegrown superstar Kobbie Mainoo has simply not gotten the game time he should have this season. The 20-year-old has only featured for 212 minutes in the Premier League.
It has got to the point where there are reports of a departure from Old Trafford. Mainoo is wanted by several clubs on a loan deal, and reports in Spain recently suggested that Real Madrid could pay £79m to bring him to the Bernabeu.
Rather than making such a rash decision and selling such a prized academy graduate, perhaps United should utilise Mainoo instead. It was not for nothing that his England teammate Declan Rice said the Three Lions players love the fact “he has that leadership and the way he takes the ball and is comfortable.”
Described as a midfield “maestro” by Statman Dave, Mainoo possesses a lot of desirable qualities for a modern midfielder in an elite team. A brilliant ball-carrier, his 1.25 successful take-ons per 90 minutes over the last year place him in the top 8% of midfielders in Europe.
Mainoo’s key stats in last 365 days
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Key passes
1.4
80th
Tackles
2.5
77th
Take-ons completed
1.25
92nd
Progressive carries
1.99
84th
Stats from FBref
It is easy to see how Mainoo is a bit of a hybrid of Wharton and Anderson. As Rice pointed out, he is incredibly comfortable on the ball. The United number 37 is a progressive player who excels in small spaces and can create in the final third, whilst also being an efficient ball-winner.
Another ex-United midfielder, Nicky Butt, said the Red Devils would “go and buy” Mainoo if he played for a club such as Palace. It is ironic, then, that United might cash in on him, only to go and sign Wharton or Anderson to replace the academy graduate.
Rather than going all in for one of those midfielders, perhaps manager Ruben Amorim should trust the 20-year-old and give him an extended run in the side, something all United fans want to see.
Man Utd already have a bigger prospect than Semenyo brewing at Carrington
This Man Utd star is someone who has impressed this season
ByJoe Nuttall