5 Centre-backs who could bolster the Manchester United defence

It’s been 4 months since the new campaign of the English Premier League has begun, and Manchester United have had a start which has been far from good, much to the fans’ concern, and of course, the Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho. The Red Devils, having played 14 Premier League games, have only gathered 22 points; winning 6 games, losing 4 games and drawing 4 games.

One of the biggest concerns for Jose Mourinho’s side this season has been the defence, and apparently, things don’t look good at all. United have conceded 23 goals so far, and it’s only been a few months since the league started, while they only conceded 28 goals in the league last season.

The Portuguese, of course, tried to bring a couple of recruitments to strengthen the defence in the summer, but the transfer window didn’t turn out to be successful for him as he didn’t meet all his targets. The latter also indicated the same in some of his press conferences and interviews earlier in the season.

However, the season is clearly not over yet and Manchester United might still have some chances to salvage something from this season. Despite not being fully backed by the board in the summer, Mourinho might still have a chance to sign a world-class centre-back in the January transfer window to bolster his side’s defence.

Here we take a look at the top 5 centre-backs who could bolster the Manchester United defence.

#5 Toby Alderweireld

The 29-year-old centre-half from Tottenham Hotspur was one of the main targets for Jose Mourinho to bring him to his side in the summer. The Belgian defender has had a great career so far and his defensive abilities speak for itself.

Signed by Mauricio Pochettino from Atletico Madrid in 2015, Alderweireld was chosen as a centre back for the PFA Team of the Season at the end of the 2015-16 Premier League campaign. Having made 94 appearances for Tottenham since his arrival at the North London outfit, Alderweireld has always been a reliable option for Mauricio Pochettino.

Alderweireld has made 12 appearances in the Premier League this season, with 1.1 tackles per game, 5.6 clearances per game and 0.5 blocks per game.

Alderweireld is a hard tackler, good passer and a good header of the ball, and these are the attributes Jose Mourinho likes in a defender. No wonder, he tried to sign the Belgian defender in the summer. He might genuinely attempt to sign the latter in the January transfer window as well. The fact that the Belgian is out of a contract in the summer of 2019 might persuade Spurs into selling the defender rather than letting him go for free.

#4 Matthijs de Ligt

Matthijs de Ligt is undoubtedly one of the most promising footballers in the world right now. The 19-year-old wonderkid from the Netherlands has been a major transfer target for many top sides in the world at the moment, having already been linked with Tottenham, Juventus and Barcelona. Despite only being 19, De Ligt has made more than 50 appearances for Ajax and he’s the captain of the Dutch giants right now.

De Ligt has made 12 appearances in the Dutch Eredivisie this season with 1.1 tackles per game, 4 clearances per game and 1.3 blocks per game.

It really is inevitable that the young Dutch sensation is going to have a bright future ahead of him and to actually think that he’s developed into this kind of player at such an early age is absolutely mind-boggling sometimes. There’s no doubt he’d improve the United defence, and he’d also be one for the future for the Red Devils.

#3 Alessio Romagnoli

Italy has always been known for their good defenders, and the 23-year-old is no less than a proper world-class defender. The AC Milan defender has earned the trust of the manager Gennaro Gattuso, and he was appointed as the club captain, following the departure of Leonardo Bonucci back to his former club Juventus.

Romagnoli has made 11 appearances in the Serie A this season, with 1 tackle per game, 5.9 clearances per game and 0.7 blocks per game.

It was reported a couple of months earlier that Manchester United wanted to sign Romagnoli in January. An elegant, solid, confident and a well-gifted left-footed ball-playing defender is what Manchester United need at the moment, and the latter would most likely be the perfect candidate for the Portuguese Jose Mourinho.

#2 Milan Skriniar

Skriniar is undoubtedly one of the best defenders in the Italian Serie A at the moment. The 23-year-old Slovakian has made a great impact at his club Internazionale since signing from Sampdoria in the summer of 2017. Skriniar has been described as a ‘tough, robust and a hard tackler’ by his gaffer Luciano Spaletti. The latter is also known for his leadership qualities both on and off the pitch.

Skriniar has made 11 appearances for Inter in the Serie A, 1.9 tackles per game, 3.4 clearances per game and 1.3 blocks per game.

The Slovakian beast, unsurprisingly, has already been linked with Manchester United recently and even in the last season. One thing Jose Mourinho likes in his defenders is their toughness and leadership qualities. So, there’s no doubt Mourinho would try to sign him up for his team next month.

#1 Kalidou Koulibaly

Koulibaly is recognised as one of the best defenders in the world. The Senegalese beast has formed a great defensive partnership with Raul Albiol in recent seasons at his present club Napoli. Former Napoli manager and the present Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, has given him plaudits on multiple occasions for his top-class performances.

Koulibaly has made 13 appearances in the Serie A this season, with 1.8 tackles per game, 4.3 clearances per game and 0.8 blocks per game.

Koulibaly is a quick, strong and a versatile defender who’s a massive aerial threat when it comes to set-pieces and he’s also known for his ball-playing ability. No wonder he is rated among the best defenders in the world.

However, because of his world-class abilities, he might turn out to be a very expensive purchase for the Red Devils. There were a lot of transfer rumours coming out recently that he’d cost around 80 or 90 million pounds. Despite his cost, Koulibaly would, without any doubt, improve the Manchester United defence.

Edited by Raunak J