Transfer Window
Jose Mourinho has been a busy man in the last couple of transfer windows. Ever since he took over at Manchester United, there has been plenty of work for him to do regarding the overhaul of the team. Unlike several other clubs, Mourinho did not have a favourable core of players and hence the elongated process of building a team with his identity stamped on it.
So, it seems that on one of these cold winter mornings, the gaffer, while strolling around Carrington, found a certain glaring deficiency in his starting lineup. The right-wing slot has been long unfilled at Old Trafford. Juan Mata has mostly featured in that position but there is an obvious drawback with the Spaniard playing there.
Although the former Chelsea man is quite incisive with his passes, the flank is not where Mata deserves to play. Juan Mata likes to play behind the striker, a position that helps him find spaces and make optimum use of his keen eye for a pass. He, however, lacks the pace and the trickery to tame the fullbacks; something which puts him at a disadvantage.
So, recent reports linking Lucas Moura to Manchester United don’t really come as a surprise.
Why Moura?
Paris Saint Germain’s splurge in the previous transfer window meant that Lucas Moura was undeservedly robbed of playing time. Moura has fallen down the pecking order at Paris, but it is not due to any rift or lack of form.
The Brazilian has been with PSG since 2012 and has regularly impressed. He possesses searing pace and a whole set of tricks, which is a testament to his Brazilian background. Moura can play on either wing but prefers the right one.
He can regularly run behind the opposition, can link up the play to feed other forwards and is a real goal-scoring threat inside the box. More importantly, the lad can whip in some serious crosses from the touchline.
Now, this is a particular quality that seems to have attracted Jose Mourinho’s attention. The Red Devils usually play Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford on the wings. Both the youngsters are better off cutting in from the flanks. The crossing ability does not come naturally to them and hence United have suffered quite a bit in the past. Romelu Lukaku is a great header of the ball and would obviously like someone to loop over the ball to him from the wider areas.
What kind of a deal?
It would not be surprising if PSG doesn’t outright sell Lucas Moura to a direct Champions League rival. However, a loan deal for six months with an option to make it permanent looks viable. Moura has started just three games, that too in the Coupe de France for PSG.
It is safe to say that a player of his calibre should be playing much more regularly. The lad is 25 years old Unai! He deserves to play week in, week out. Jose has taken note of this situation and the fact that the World Cup is nearing is likely to have an effect on the final decision regarding this transfer.
