Lots of Aston Villa fans have slammed Dean Smith for his ‘dreadful’ defensive tactics against Wolverhampton Wanderers which allowed Ruben Neves to open the scoring on Sunday.
Neves struck Wolves’ go-ahead goal in the 41st-minute with a wonderful finish from the edge of the box, as the Portuguese midfielder was gifted yards of space to wait for Joao Moutinho’s short free-kick.
With no Villa player near him, Neves guided the ball into the centre of the net with his first touch, and watched as it sailed over a crowded penalty area and past Orjan Nyland after the Norwegian had to replace Jed Steer following an Achilles injury.
Villans supporters were left mightily frustrated by Neves being gifted so much space on the edge of the box, as the 22-year-old has proven himself to be an expert at scoring from range since moving to Molineux in 2017.
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Each of Neves’ six goals in the Championship during the 2017/18 campaign came from outside the area, including a thunderous volley against Derby County when he found the top corner despite backtracking as he struck the ball.
The 14-cap Portugal international also scored two of his four Premier League goals last season from outside of the penalty area, and opened his account for the campaign this term from range when he fired home against Manchester United in August.
Here are some of the messages shared after Villa fell behind at Molineux to a long-range strike by Neves…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
As the Championship embarks on a third international break of the season, it hands us a good opportunity to see where things currently are ahead of a hectic Christmas period.
West Bromwich Albion head into the two-week hiatus sitting on the league’s throne in first position.
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The west Midlands club have lost just one of their 16 matches, picking up nine victories on their way to 33 points, which is averaging over two per game.
If they keep this up, then they will hit at least 92 points, and that has been enough for automatic promotion in four of the last five seasons, although that metric only accounts for one variable.
FiveThirtyEight, a statistical analysis website, has provided their own predicted table, which looks something like this:
They suggest that one of the chasing pack, Leeds United, will catch up and then eclipse the Baggies to the title this season.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side currently sit just two points behind Albion, and they are the only team to have conquered them this season.
FiveThirtyEight have constructed this through the use of multiple factors, from a club’s value to projected results to the strength of the league. This is all explained in more detail here.
As of right now, West Brom have a less than 50% chance to gain promotion this season despite sitting atop the Championship table while Leeds have a much stronger outlook at 69%.
This would suggest that manager Slaven Bilic still has plenty of work to do, even despite the table offering up the strong possibility that they will still indeed gain a return back to the promised land of the top-flight.
It just cannot be taken as gospel, and given that it took the side nine matches to even pick up their first clean sheet against a ten-man Queens Park Rangers side, and the fact that Matty Phillips has the same number of goals as all of their strikers combined, per WhoScored, there’s still so much room for improvement.
Ultimately, they want to be the team sitting at the top of that predicted table as it would show there are fewer weaknesses to be unearthed at this stage of the season.
Chelsea transfer chiefs are reportedly prepared to offer three players in exchange for a prolific striker, coming after Todd Boehly and BlueCo failed to bring in a new number nine during the summer window.
Chelsea fall short in deadline day bid for Victor Osimhen
The Blues spent around £200 million on no less than 13 new signings this summer, with Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho all agreeing moves to west London.
£62m Chelsea ace now "desperate" to leave with January exit "very possible"
He’s very eager to quit west London.
ByEmilio Galantini Sep 19, 2024
New head coach Enzo Maresca, backed by the club’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, was also after a prolific new centre-forward to come in and complement his star-studded squad further.
On transfer deadline day, Chelsea made an eleventh-hour bid to sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli but were unable to agree terms with the Nigerian. Osimhen also had an offer to join Al-Ahli, with Chelsea and the Saudi Pro League side both competing for the 25-year-old in a last-gasp blockbuster transfer attempt.
Appearances
25
Goals
15
Assists
3
Shots Per 90
3.86
Key Passes Per 90
1.05
Successful Take-Ons Per 90
0.73
However, neither side could strike a full deal for Osimhen, who instead had to settle for a loan move to Turkish Süper Lig giants Galatasaray after the UK window closed. Al-Ahli ended up signing Ivan Toney from Brentford after Chelsea also made an enquiry for Toney earlier that week.
Missing out on Osimhen was a bitter blow for Maresca and Chelsea, who were pretty close to striking a last-minute agreement according to ex-midfielder and Nigeria star John Obi-Mikel.
“I know what Victor wanted, I know what the club offered him, I know where we got to, we finally got to a compromise, both sides had to compromise, I was just some little things here and there, paperwork, medical, and a few issues we just couldn’t get over the line and we didn’t have much time,” said Obi-Mikel on Osimhen’s failed Chelsea move.
“Both sides really played their part in terms of getting the deal done, and I commend Chelsea for that because I can see their ambition of where they want to take this club now and also on Victor’s side, how much he really wanted to come to the club.
“He was disappointed it didn’t happen. I spoke to him when the transfer window shut, I gave him a call, we spent 20 minutes talking, I said, ‘listen, I’m always here for you, you need to keep your head down, you need to keep working hard, keep training, I know it’s not the best situation right now but I know you’re strong’.
There is a widely-reported break clause in Osimhen’s loan deal at Galatasaray, meaning clubs could swoop in and sign him in January. Since they missed out on the African, some media sources suggest Chelsea could have a free run over signing Osimhen in 2025, but it is perhaps wise to have alternatives.
Chelsea ready to offer £144m trio in swap deal for Lautaro Martinez
According to Doble Amarilla, that man could be Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez.
The South American news outlet state that Chelsea are ready to offer a trio of players in exchange for Martinez, with Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka and Mykhailo Mudryk the three in question.
Badiashile (£35m), Mudryk (£89m) and Chukwuemeka (£20m) cost around £144 million combined, but it appears the club are ready to ship out all three to bring in Martinez, following a prolific few years with the Nerazzurri.
The £270,000-per-week Argentine international, who helped Inter to a Serie A title last season with 24 goals and three assists in the league alone, has also been called “sensational” by Man City boss Pep Guardiola and tipped for the Ballon d’Or.
With the transfer window at an end, the focus can now turn to what really matters at Manchester United – the action on the pitch.
For manager Erik ten Hag, there can be no more excuses, nowhere left to hide, with the scrutinised Dutchman having now had three summers to get the squad to where he'd like it to be.
Optimism at the club was on a high following May's FA Cup final triumph – a result that arguably spared the manager the axe – but positivity has swiftly dwindled amid another sticky start to a campaign.
Much like in his debut season at the helm, the former Ajax boss will be looking to lift the mood with a positive result against rivals Liverpool, with that aforementioned 2-1 win over the Merseysiders in 2022 having kickstarted his stint in charge.
Hopes of seeing off compatriot Arne Slot and his charges have been hampered by yet another injury blow, however, with 2023 arrival, Mason Mount, set to be sidelined over the next few weeks, having been withdrawn at half-time at the Amex last time out.
Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount
For some, that absence may not be considered too much of a blow, yet the Englishman – who was dubbed a "pressing monster" by Statman Dave – had looked to be a crucial part of United's pressing game in the opening weeks of the season, leaving solutions now needing to be found to fill that attacking void.
With that in mind, here's a look at just how Ten Hag can replace the club's number seven for the visit of Slot's men…
1 The Obvious Option Joshua Zirkzee
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee scores vs Fulham
A goalscorer on debut against Fulham, summer signing Joshua Zirkzee could be the man to capitalise on Mount's misfortune, with the Dutchman – who arrived on a £36.5m deal from Bologna – having replaced the ex-Chelsea playmaker against the Cottagers and Brighton and Hove Albion.
With Ten Hag favouring a striker-less starting lineup to date – with Bruno Fernandes and Mount dovetailing in attack – Zirkzee could slot in nicely into that forward line, having categorised himself as something of a '9.5', rather than an out-and-out centre-forward.
The one-time Bayern Munich man would also offer a proper focal point and presence in the forward ranks due to his 6 foot 4 frame, with such stature likely to be required in the absence of the stricken Rasmus Hojlund and with Scott McTominay now on the books at Napoli.
Having seen the impact that Zirkzee can make off the bench on the opening weekend, however – and with the Netherlands international not featuring at all in pre-season – there may be a desire to keep drip-feeding him minutes as a substitute, building up his fitness rather than rushing him into action.
2 The Senior Solution Marcus Rashford
If ever there was a time to silence the doubters, it would be against United's bitter rivals, with Marcus Rashford quickly needing to catch fire amid another quiet and underwhelming start to a season.
Deployed off the left thus far, the 26-year-old's impact has been limited in recent weeks, notably being withdrawn on the hour mark last time out in place of the exciting Alejandro Garnacho.
With Garnacho pushing to start after three substitute cameos thus far – and with goalscorer Amad Diallo making an impact on the right – there will be pressure on Ten Hag to drop Rashford altogether, with the academy graduate no longer a certain starter at Old Trafford.
That said, the England international's impressive record against the Anfield side – which stands at seven goals in 18 meetings – may be in his favour, with one potential solution set to be to start him through the middle this time around, even despite his own desire to feature off the left.
Such a decision would allow Ten Hag to fit the trio of Garnacho, Amad and Rashford into his side, although that may not be the only way in which that triumvirate can all feature…
3 The Tactical Tweak Amad Diallo
After ending 2023/24 in fine fashion – notably scoring in the 3-2 win over Newcastle United – Amad's stock is now at its highest point since his initial move to Manchester back in January 2021, having enjoyed a stunning pre-season in which he netted against the likes of Rangers and Real Betis.
That has been followed up by a promising start to the new campaign, with the former Atalanta starlet netting the equaliser in the eventual 2-1 defeat to the Seagulls, having also spurned an early chance to put the visitors ahead.
That missed attempt showed that the Ivorian "wizard" – as described by journalist James Copley – is still a work in progress, although he has certainly warranted another inclusion from the start later today.
There may be a desire to see Garnacho oust Rashford on the left and for Amad to remain on the right, but one potential tweak could see the latter man move more centrally to partner Fernandes, with Garnacho taking his place out wide.
While that change of role may seem strange, Amad has actually played through the middle in his career previously, notably operating as a centre-forward or second striker on occasion during his time at Sunderland – where he finished with 14 goals and four assists in all competitions.
Amad Diallo for Sunderland
According to Transfermarkt, only two of his 24 appearances for United have come as a centre-forward – and none have come in an attacking midfield or second-striker berth – although that switch to what would largely be a new role could represent a dream solution.
It's worth remembering that his first goal for the club did come from the 22-year-old moving into a central area to cleverly header home against AC Milan back in 2021, showcasing that he can be effective in that position, even despite his slight frame.
89 minutes
1 goal
53 touches
78% pass accuracy
1 key pass
1 'big chance' missed
1/2 crosses completed
1/1 long balls completed
1/3 successful dribbles
3/9 ground duels won
15x possession lost
With the speed and work ethic needed to be able to match Mount's high press – having been praised for his "attitude" and "intensity" by coach, Darren Fletcher – Amad could represent a wildcard option to lead the line, ahead of the likes of Rashford and Zirkzee.
Alongside Maguire: Ten Hag must drop 13-pass Man Utd man after 4/10 display
It was a disappointing day out for the Red Devils on Saturday afternoon…
Aside from Chelsea, Manchester United were the busiest of the traditional 'big six' sides in the summer transfer window.
Erik ten Hag welcomed in a number of exciting players, including Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, while also clearing out the squad of several players deemed not good enough to help the team get back to the top of the game, such as Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Donny van de Beek.
Erik ten Hag
However, while the club made decent money on some of their departures, one of their most prominent sales from last summer is now worth considerably more to their current side and even outperformed Marcus Rashford last season.
Rashford's recent form
In the 2022/23 campaign, very few players in European football, let alone in the Premier League, were more dangerous than Rashford.
For example, in his 56 appearances that season, he scored a whopping 30 goals and provided 11 assists, meaning that he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.36 games. This red-hot form understandably earned him a bumper new £375k-per-week contract, including bonuses.
However, while he was a goalscoring phenom two seasons ago, he took a massive step back last year and could only muster a return of eight goals and six assists in 43 games, or an average of a goal involvement once every 3.07 games, which is an enormous dropoff.
Even worse than that, the 60-capped international only scored seven goals and provided just three assists in 33 Premier League matches, which equates to a substandard average of a goal involvement every 3.3 games.
Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, he hasn't looked much better this year either. In his four games so far, including the Community Shield, he's failed to score or assist a goal.
Overall, things are not looking great for the Manchester-born winger at the moment, and the fact he was outperformed by a former United squad player in the league last season certainly doesn't help.
Anthony Elanga's recent form
The former United ace in question is Swedish international Anthony Elanga, who, after failing to stake a claim in the first team, was sold to Nottingham Forest for just £15m last summer.
Anthony Elanga
Since making the move, the 22-year-old dynamo has shown the three-time European champions exactly what they're missing by becoming one of the most important players in Forest's squad.
For example, in just 39 appearances last season, the "brilliant" winger, as dubbed by former United defender Wes Brown, scored five goals and provided nine assists. This means he produced the same number of goal involvements as Rashford in fewer matches, equating to an average of one every 2.78 games.
Appearances
36
33
Goals
5
7
Assists
9
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.38
0.30
However, when we look at just his Premier League performances, things start to look even more impressive, as all 14 of his goal involvements came in his 36 appearances in the competition, meaning he averaged one every 2.57 games in the most demanding league in football.
This outrageous output for a team that was battling relegation for much of the season understandably caught the attention of other clubs. According to a report from Sky Sports News, Newcastle United had a £50m offer rejected on deadline day last week.
Therefore, the Tricky Trees now value their £15m purchase at more than £50m, and based on his performances at the City Ground, who can blame them?
Their own Rabiot: Man Utd fans should be excited about 17 y/o academy star
The incredible youngster could have a bright future at the Theatre of Dreams.
Glasgow Rangers could have found their own version of a top-flight star as Michael Beale's interest in Cyriel Dessers has become well-known in recent weeks…
What's the latest Rangers transfer news?
With the Teddy Bears' arch-rivals retaining the Scottish Premiership last season, the Glasgow giants have got their work cut out for them if they're to overthrow the Hoops, so expect a busy summer from Beale's side.
Already, the club has been linked to numerous names as they look to strengthen the squad.
The likes of Lyndon Dykes and Charlie Cresswell are just a couple of the many names that have been linked with Rangers so far this summer.
Cremonese forward Cyriel Dessers.
One other name that the club are reportedly interested in is the Cremonese frontman, whose underlying stats and style of play are very similar to the Premier League star Callum Wilson.
Adding a goalscorer to the side is vital for Rangers, but adding one who so closely resembles a star like the Newcastle United and England man could be pivotal in the club regaining their status as Scottish champions.
How does Cyriel Dessers compare to Callum Wilson?
According to Opta Analyst, the underlying numbers between the duo are very similar. In fact, the player comparison tool gave them a 65.6% similarity score.
The duo take a similar number of shots per game, with Dessers – who is reportedly valued at just £7m – averaging 1.9 shots a game, while Wilson averaged 2.4 and the majority of both forwards' efforts came within the penalty area.
In fact, both men spent plenty of time inside the opposition area, with the Cremona forward among the top 95% of strikers in the top five European leagues for touches inside the penalty box, while Wilson was among the top 89%.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
Another similarity the pair share is their aerial ability, with the "phenomenal" and "incredible" Dessers – as once hailed by ESPN correspondent Cecilia Lagos – in the 38th percentile of forwards in Europe's top five leagues in terms of aerial battles won, while Wilson put up similar numbers, with the Newcastle striker in the 40th percentile.
Comparatively, the strikers very rarely showcase a level of ball-carrying ability either, with the Serie A man's average of 0.5 successful dribbles a game almost identical to Wilson's 0.4 successful dribbles a game.
While the Newcastle man enjoyed a much more prolific season last campaign, the attributes and the tools are all there for the ten-goal machine to replicate his success if he were to make a move to Rangers, providing the club with a strong, goalscoring poacher that may help swing the balance of power in Scotland as they chase Celtic again next season.
Leeds United have a tough task on their hands to gain an instant return to the Premier League, but with the right guidance, it could be one made relatively straightforward.
For two years now, the Whites have seemingly lost their identity, with Marcelo Bielsa's stubborn tactics leaving the hierarchy unsure as to how they move on from such a legendary figure in their recent history. They had quite clearly gone 'all-in' on the 67-year-old, which made his dismissal even more heart-wrenching.
Jesse Marsch followed, and it was his tenure that arguably doomed the West Yorkshire outfit to their relegation, which neither Javi Gracia nor Sam Allardyce could halt.
Appointing the right boss this summer is integral in ensuring their Championship stay is a short one, and doing it soon could be key to convincing their key assets to remain at Elland Road.
If fans are not too desperate to see Brenden Aaronson stick around, should his potential is unleashed, he could have a huge hand in returning them back to the top flight.
Of the various managers touted for their dugout vacancy, the United States international would surely prefer Daniel Farke to get the job given their philosophical alignment with regard to how football should be played.
Will Brenden Aaronson stay at Leeds United?
The 22-year-old was brought up on the heavy-metal football associated with the Red Bull system, having been brought over by Marsch to spearhead his midfield.
However, with just one goal and three assists in the league last term, this has been a wholly failed experiment.
Should the 49ers seek to appoint the former Norwich City man, perhaps he would have a few tricks up his sleeve to unearth the potential of this high-octane maestro, who had notched 16 goal contributions across all competitions in his final year in Austria.
Whilst he is sure to implement a high-pressing system, Farke could also accommodate the youngster by harking back to his work with Emiliano Buendia, given how he transformed this diminutive Argentinian dynamo into one of the Championship's top performers – now a solid Premier League asset.
During his second promotion with the Canaries, the success of the 46-year-old boss was buoyed by the emergence of the current Aston Villa man, who shone from his right flank.
Aston Villa forward Emiliano Buendia
In scoring 15 times and assisting a further 17 in the league, he was the deserving recipient of the Championship's Player of the Year award, despite standing at just 5 foot 8.
Given Aaronson has been called a "lightweight" by pundit Jon Newsome when talking to BBC Radio Leeds, he too could be toughened up by this new regime, perhaps by being allowed to star from the left flank and drift onto his right foot as a mirror image of the 26-year-old.
After all, he does boast that same silkiness and tenacity that Buendia enjoyed, with Marsch even telling MLSsoccer.com's ExtraTime podcast: "He gets better every day. He's like a weed. You almost see him grow before your eyes. It's really amazing. He's a special young man.
“It's so much just about his ability to make final plays and slow himself down a little bit in the last third. He has more quality than people think. He's a good finisher, he's really clever with how to put passes together in tight spaces."
All these attributes have helped Farke's former prodigy grow into an instrumental figure in Unai Emery's Midlands revolution, and the hope around Elland Road will be that he can repeat this feat with their £45k-per-week flop.
Bayern Munich have hijacked Manchester United’s move for Napoli defender Kim min-jae, according to reports.
What’s the latest Man United transfer news involving Kim?
The Red Devils appear to be in the market for a new centre-back this summer and have made Kim their top target in defence.
The South Korea international has a release clause in his contract that can be activated next month, with previous reports claiming that United have agreed to pay the €60m clause and have also agreed on personal terms with the player. However, there seems to have been a twist in the transfer race, in what will come as a blow to Erik ten Hag and co.
Football Insider shared a story in the last 48 hours, claiming that the Red Devils are now worried they could lose out to Bayern in the race for Kim’s services.
The report adds that United made enquiries over a transfer but ‘Bayern have now hijacked the deal and are now moving to seal a quick agreement with Kim’.
Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae.
Who else have Man United been linked with?
United appear to be on the search for a new centre-back as the futures of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof appear to be up in the air. It was claimed earlier in the year that Ten Hag was willing to part ways with the pair this summer, which could leave United with just Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as the only senior centre-back options.
Should Kim opt for a move to Germany over England, United would need to look elsewhere, and one player who has recently been linked with a move is Leeds United’s Robin Koch.
Loose talks have already taken place over a move for the German defender, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, so he could emerge as a real option if United can’t land Kim.
Even if they do somehow secure Kim’s services, another defender could be of use if Maguire and Lindelof departs, but with a new midfielder and striker also wanted at Old Trafford, it could be a busy few months, especially with the ongoing takeover saga still yet to be resolved.
Celtic are in the market for a new head coach as they prepare for the 2023/24 campaign after they were rocked by the loss of Ange Postecoglou this week.
The Hoops enjoyed a terrific weekend as they beat Inverness at Hampden in the Scottish FA Cup final to secure the domestic treble, after winning the double with the Australian boss last term, and it only took a few days for that joy to turn to disappointment.
Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur came calling and Postecoglou was officially confirmed as their new manager on Tuesday, as they finally landed their replacement for Italian boss Antonio Conte.
Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell, along with the rest of the board, must now appoint his successor. 90min recently reported that Brendan Rodgers, Jesse Marsch, Matthias Jaissle, and David Moyes are possible candidates.
Who is Matthias Jaissle?
Desmond could find the dream Postecoglou replacement by appointing 35-year-old RB Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle, who has been in charge of the Austrian giants for the past two seasons.
The now-former Hoops boss is a proven winner who has been able to manage successful teams throughout his career. He has a points-per-game average of 1.92 and has won 177 of his 306 domestic league matches, while losing just 73 in his time in Australia, Japan, and Scotland.
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
This allowed him to be a huge success at Parkhead as the 57-year-old won 2.64 points per game across 66 regular season Scottish Premiership outings, which led to two titles for the club.
In comparison, Jaissle, whose coaching was once hailed as "top quality" by journalist Josh Bunting, has only been in senior management for three years, after spending two seasons at U18 level, but has averaged 2.47 points won per game across 103 matches in his career so far.
The young tactician has only lost three of his 63 Austrian Bundesliga fixtures with Salzburg and has won the title in both of his seasons in charge, to go along with one Austrian Cup.
These statistics show that the German, who typically deploys a 4-3-1-2 formation, knows how to instil a winning mentality and is capable of leading teams to back-to-back titles, much in the same way that Postecoglou did with Celtic before his move to Spurs this week.
Therefore, Jaissle could be the dream replacement for the Australian; he is a young, up-and-coming coach who has already shown promise as a manager who turns his teams into winning machines, something the Hoops should be looking for to continue their dominance of Scottish football.
Whilst the German boss is a young head who has not proven himself in a major European league, or in Scotland, his work at Salzburg suggests that he has the qualities required to be an excellent appointment for Celtic.
Manchester United are believed to be eyeing a move for Bayern Munich defender, Benjamin Pavard, according to the latest reports.
What's the latest on Pavard to Man United?
As per transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, the Red Devils are said to be one of the clubs who are showing an interest in the World Cup-winning ace, with the 27-year-old seemingly intent on a change of scenery with just 12 months left to run on his existing deal in Bavaria.
Writing on Twitter, the respected source stated: "Benjamin Pavard informs Bayern Munich of desire to leave. Man Utd among interested clubs keen on the French star, as @90min_Football revealed back in April. "
In his attached piece for 90min, Bailey – alongside colleague Scott Saunders – revealed that the Old Trafford outfit are said to have already held talks with the player's agent regarding a summer switch, with Erik ten Hag's side said to be seeking cover at both right-back and centre-back.
Who could Pavard replace at Man United?
The signing of the France international – who has been valued at around €20m (£17m) – could seemingly allow United to kill two birds with one stone, due to the 48-cap ace's ability to feature both at full-back and in the centre of defence.
With the Red Devils having only recently tied down Diogo Dalot to a new long-term deal – and with Aaron Wan-Bissaka also reportedly set to stay at the club this summer – it would appear that Pavard would be more needed to provide cover and competition at centre-back, however, particularly with club captain Harry Maguire believed to be on his way out.
Therefore, the former Stuttgart man could prove something of an upgrade on Victor Lindelof in that role, despite the Swede having impressed of late after starting the last nine Premier League games of the season in the absence of Lisandro Martinez.
Man United's Victor Lindelof
Not only would Pavard's versatility potentially make him a better option for Ten Hag, but the £84k-per-week machine also appears to offer greater quality in an attacking sense having chipped in with eight goal contributions in all competitions this season, with Lindelof failing to register a single goal or assist.
The Bayern ace also appears to be more adept at playing out from the back as he ranks in the top 1% among his European peers for progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries, while the current United man ranks in just the top 41% and the bottom 48% for those same two metrics, respectively.
Perhaps more importantly, however, is Pavard's superior defensive quality as he ended the recent Bundesliga season with a strong average of 2.3 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game from his 30 outings, with Lindelof averaging just 1.1 for both tackles and interceptions per game from his 20 Premier League appearances.
That would suggest that the signing of the perhaps "underrated" Frenchman – as described by manager, Thomas Tuchel – could provide Ten Hag with a centre-back upgrade for next season.