Manchester United’s fall from grace, from a title-winning, dominant force in Europe, to competing for Europa League places, has been quite dramatic and has had many pitfalls. From the change of managers to players not performing to their best, and unrest among fans, the transition from Sir Alex Ferguson’s regime has been anything but smooth.
The Red Devils have not played to their strengths over the last few seasons, and much of that has to do with the kind of players that the various managers have recruited. Under new manager and club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, we could possibly see a change in the type of players Manchester United recruit. There have been rumblings about how the Norwegian will invest in youth and play as per the traditions of Manchester United of old.
But one player who could be a fantastic signing – one that could change the fortunes of the club – is Napoli centre back Kalidou Koulibaly. The 27-year-old centre back has consistently been one of the best defenders in Europe over the last few years, which has attracted the interest of Manchester United as well as Real Madrid.
Why should Manchester United sign Kalidou Koulibaly?
The highly-rated centre-back has it all – pace, strength, height and positioning sense, which makes him one of the best in Europe.
The Senegalese defender is a versatile player with good footballing knowledge as he has shown that he can play as a central defender in a 3- or 2-man defence, while he has also played as a defensive midfielder. Koulibaly can pass the ball out from the back, while also being efficient in the tackle. A leader at the back, Koulibaly could galvanise the United side that has been bereft of leaders and naturally aggressive defenders.
He could perhaps have the influence on the United backline like van Dijk’s at Liverpool and help in Manchester United’s revival. The Red Devils have a talented young defender in Victor Lindelof who could benefit from the experience of a player like Koulibaly playing alongside him. The 20-time league champions need to bring in new players all across the park, but the most important position that needs a world-class player is at the heart of the defence, which has lacked a player of Koulibaly’s calibre for a long time.
