Manchester United are close to making two deadline day signings in the form of Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles, as per reports. Cavani has been a free agent since his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired at the end of last season, while Telles is set to join from Porto.
As per The Athletic, the two will join the club before the window closes, but there has been no talk about Manchester United’s chief target, Jadon Sancho, joining the club from Borussia Dortmund. There is still a possibility of Ousmane Dembele joining the club on loan from Barcelona, who want to sell the Frenchman on a permanent deal.
Cavani ended his seven-year stint with PSG at the end of last season, and will go down as a club legend after his 200 goals in 301 appearances. Meanwhile, Telles, too, is a highly-rated left-back, who made nearly 200 appearances for the Portuguese club.
Cavani and Alex Telles – Short-term fix and a much-needed boost, but a lot to do
Manchester United have been shockingly bad this season, with their latest defeat against Tottenham highlighting the issues that are currently plaguing the club. The Red Devils have a talented attacking line-up, full of energy and speed, which has got a shot in the arm following the addition of Bruno Fernandes.
But, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been dreadful at the back, as was evidenced by the six goals that they conceded against Spurs. The various defensive combinations that Solskjaer has tried have not worked, while Harry Maguire – the costliest defender in the world – has been poor and hasn’t been able to organise the backline.
Solskjaer has an uphill task ahead of him even with new signings Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles
The addition of Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles has come late in the day and United fans have been frustrated that these deals, especially the Cavani transfer, were not done earlier in the window.
The signing of the two South Americans does not solve the aforementioned issue – defending. Telles is a full-back, and could be a better option than current Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw, but he, in no way, will make United stronger defensively. The need of the hour is a central defender who has the pace and strength to see off attackers – someone like RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano.
The other problem area for United is breaking down stubborn defences that employ the low block. While United’s attackers are talented, they don’t have a player who can create something from nothing, a skill that Jadon Sancho possesses.
The signing of Cavani and Telles will give Solskjaer more options, but they are far from the solution to get Manchester United back to the top. They could, however, bring about a temporary change that might put aside the disappointment of the thrashing received at the hands of Spurs.
With the international break upon us, Solskjaer will have time to reassess what needs to be changed tactically, and Cavani and Telles could help if they are integrated quickly. But in the long run, the club still needs a structured approach to transfers, and not panic buys on deadline day.