Why Manchester United need Willian more than Anthony Martial

For the entirety of the summer transfer window, Jose Mourinho has been yearning for the Manchester United board to secure a right-sided midfielder to add to his squad.

The man they have been linked to most frequently is Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder, Willian.

Willian, who has won the full sweep of domestic trophies during his five-year tenure with the Blues would be the ideal candidate. The Brazilian appeared likely to move on when he shared a photograph of last season's FA Cup winning Chelsea side on Twitter with the manager, Antonio Conte, blocked out.

Willian had also shared an embrace prior to the match with Mourinho in the tunnel. Could Willian join the beaten FA Cup finalists, United in the final week of the transfer window?

It was during summer 2016, that Mourinho publically coveted Inter Milan winger, Ivan Perisic, who then enjoyed a stunning season for Inter and in 2017/18 and during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

It barely caused any trouble for United early in the season as they eased past West Ham United and Swansea City in their opening fixtures, plundering four goals in both. More inspiring 4-0 wins came in the next couple of weeks over Everton and Crystal Palace. However, these performances masked the deficiencies in United’s attack.

United soon struggled to keep up with Premier League pacesetters, Manchester City who had an embarrassment of riches going forward and were equally destructive on both flanks and through the centre.

Mourinho tried to find the solution to the right-sided problem within his own squad, but all of his midfielders, such as Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata were more effective on the left or through the centre.

It meant in attack, United only threatened through the left and the centre, hampering striker Romelu Lukaku who could have been even more destructive and scored many more than the 27 goals he netted, had he had service from the right as well.

Mourinho signed Arsenal forward, Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window with a view to resolving the right side problem, as Sanchez was viewed as effective on the left, centre and right. However, Sanchez was so effective on the right-hand side for United, that Mourinho shunted him to the left permanently after just a couple of games.

The Sanchez signing, far from resolving one issue, had conversely caused another. His arrival caused Martial who was enjoying a career resurgence on the left wing to be left out of the first team. Martial didn't react well to losing his spot in the team and has been actively agitating for a transfer ever since.

Will Anthony Martial still be a Manchester United player on the 10th August?

Mourinho has publically questioned Martial's professionalism and attitude since he took the reins at Old Trafford; something that appears to have been made more public after Martial failed to return to the Red's pre-season tour following the birth of his child. Martial is publically angling for a move away from the club, apparently unwilling to fight for his first-team spot.

However, Chelsea appear keen on trading the near 30-year-old Willian for the 22-year-old Martial. It is without doubt, that Martial is the better long-term investment but for United, the right side of midfield is in need of urgent surgery.

A player who can deliver week in week out in United's number one problem area versus a player that does not perform consistently and wants out of the club. It should be a no-brainer.