Transfer Story:
Transfer rumours and Manchester United go hand in hand. Even though Jose Mourinho has denied the possibility of signing yet another attacking player in the coming transfer window, latest reports emerging have linked the Red Devils to another young forward.
Thick of the matter:
Manchester United’s victory in the finals of the Europa League last season gathered much appreciation and documentation from the media. However, if there was one particular sequence that caught the attention after the match was the conversation between Jose Mourinho and Justin Kluivert. Kluivert was being touted to move to United in the summer of 2018, as Jose is said to be a huge admirer of the young starlet. Apparently, the Portuguese gaffer knows the lad from his days at Barcelona, when Patrick Kluivert, father of Justin used to play for the Blaugrana.
Lad and the hullabaloo surrounding him:
Well, the attention that Justin has been able to attract is noteworthy, primarily owing to his talent and quality on the pitch. Essentially a winger, who can play on either flank, Justin is a hugely talented player and has a keen eye for the goal. He stretches the defence with his pace and skills on the ball and can be a good crosser from the wings. Justin likes to cut in at times, and even plays in an inward wing position for Ajax as it allows him to have a direct go at the goal. His hold up play and the ability to link up with his teammates make him a potent threat from wide areas as the lad is willing enough to track back whenever required. Bags of energy is what he possesses as Justin is usually a tireless runner and a notable threat from inside the box.
Numbers that defy age:
Before reading this segment, keep in mind that the lad is just 18 years old.
This season, Justin has played 20 games in the Eredivisie and has already scored six goals. He has notched up four assists and has a pass accuracy of 86.8%. He takes around 2.5 shots per game, which is a decent figure for a winger. Moreover, the Ajax kid has delivered an average of 1.6 key passes in each game. He completed 2.5 successful dribbles in every ninety minutes too and this season has been a decent one for him.
Should Jose make a move?
Probably not. It is quite clear now that the gaffer admires the kid and would like to have him in the squad. Justin’s talents are too good to forego and hence the interest in him is justified. However, with the current plethora of options in the squad, coupled with the presence of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford (potential long-term options), it would not make much of a sense to bring the lad to Old Trafford just yet.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored
