United must take golden opportunity to land PL proven “box-crashing eight” with “attacking guile” – opinion

Manchester United have been gifted an opportunity to bolster their midfield this summer that they must take.

The Red Devils have been locked in negotiations with Juventus over the sale of Jadon Sancho.

One of the solutions that has been proposed and reportedly agreed upon is a swap deal between Sancho and Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz.

United have so far been mainly focused on enhancing their attack this summer but the midfield is certainly still a cause for concern for manager Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils will be unlikely to be able to spend much money this window on a midfielder meaning the likes of Adam Wharton are probably off the agenda in 2025.

Therefore, Luiz could be an impressive opportunity for United to pursue.

Premier League proven

The Red Devils have signed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and are still in negotiations for Bryan Mbeumo with Brentford.

Capturing Premier League proven talent has been something of great importance this summer amongst the recruitment team and it is clear to see why.

Sometimes United’s new signings have looked out of place the last few years and that has often been due to their inability to adapt to the rigours of Premier League football.

Luiz is a veteran of English football, who spent five successful seasons at Aston Villa in the Premier League, playing 204 times for the Villans.

Were he to move to Old Trafford, there would be little concern over his ability to thrive in the league.

Age profile

United’s midfield has been unbalanced lately with players either lacking experience or being too long in the tooth.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are both in their thirties, while Toby Collyer, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte are all under 25 years old.

At 27 years old, Luiz brings another dynamic.

He has experience with over 316 club appearances and 18 national caps for Brazil but he is still in his prime.

The former Villa man still has a lot of juice left in the tank and could contribute for many years at Old Trafford.

He has what current midfield lacks

Another strong argument for signing Luiz is that his skillset is exactly what the Red Devils currently lack.

Ruben Amorim requires energy and bite from his midfield and there is hope Ugarte will continue to grow under his leadership.

Despite having clear talent, there are doubts whether United’s other midfielders really fit into Amorim’s system.

Luiz is seen as an “accomplished all-round central midfielder” who certainly would.

“His technical quality, defensive acumen, athleticism and attacking guile” were key to his success during his time in England.

He has also been described as a “box-crashing 8, with press resistance.” Luiz is also said to have “a good technical base, passing range and ball-striking ability, all with good duel-winning capacity and physicality to play in a double pivot.”

Luiz is also capable of carrying the ball forward effectively, something the current United midfield misses like a hole in the head.

He can also progress the play effectively and make accurate long passes which would help United immensely in their build up play.

Price

Luiz cost Juventus £42.35 million last summer but is available for much less this year.

United are desperate to get rid of Sancho, so even a straight swap could be more valuable than the €25 million Juve could pay for the England international.

It would allow United to get in an experienced midfielder but put forward any money from other sales to positions such as the striker or goalkeeper.

Moreover, despite not having the best debut season in Italy, €25 million is well below Luiz’s potential value to this United team.

All in all, he is a market opportunity that United would be foolish not to take advantage of.

Featured image Francesco Pecoraro via Getty Images

Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social