United linked with January move for Defour

Another day, another midfielder linked with United. Although, we are no stranger to today’s rumored transfer target. After nearly a year of speculation surrounding Manchester United and Steven Defour, there are now reports that Sir Alex will finally make his move for the Belgian midfielder in January.

I would hesitate to get too excited yet, though, as United were also linked with making a bid for Defour last summer. There has been growing speculation that Defour would join United after Sir Alex sent the then-injured Standard Liege captain a “get well soon” letter last season. In the letter, Sir Alex writes, “You will have to work hard to make your comeback, but then I will follow your performances closely.” The last player to receive such a letter was Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Dutch striker joined United soon after his recovery.

Defour’s agent, Paul Stefani, has claimed a deal in January may be possible and compared the 22-year-old to Paul Scholes. As Scholes edges closer to retirement with each passing day, it makes sense that United would be searching to a suitable replacement. However, is it to early to recruit a replacement for the 35-year-old midfielder? Current midfielders such as Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson are already struggling to get into the team this season; would Defour suffer a similar fate?

Despite currently occupying third place in the Premier League, United have been far from convincing. Sir Alex has highlighted a lack of killer instinct as cause for concern. Would a midfielder such as Defour help to rectify this problem? Some fans have claimed we need to add a playmaking midfielder to our squad. Is he capable of creating the opportunities that United have sometimes lacked this season? It’s hard to answer either of these questions. I haven’t seen enough of the player to adequately judge, but it seems Sir Alex sees something in the 22-year-old.

Admittedly, I have seen the midfield as a weakness this season. With the exception of Scholes, the squad seems to lack a midfielder that can consistently create chances. Anderson seems capable, but has yet to fully prove himself as a playmaker. Carrick’s passing has been an asset to us in the past, but he’s been struggling for form since last season. Gibson has still yet to prove he has any qualities beyond a powerful long-range shot. Darren Fletcher and Owen Hargreaves are both quality midfielders, but not playmakers. We have two brilliant, young playmakers in Tom Cleverley and Magnus Eikrem, but unfortunately it still seems a bit too soon for the duo. Cleverley may get a chance to establish himself this season if he is recalled from his loan with Wigan, but Eikrem is probably at least a season away from playing in the Premier League.

If Carrick does not manage to rediscover his form by January, I think a move for the Defour could be beneficial to the squad. I don’t see Gibson miraculously developing his passing game, though, I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong. Cleverley could be the answer to our concerns in the centre of midfield, but I foresee him being used primarily on the left wing as Sir Alex tries to compensate for the loss of Antonio Valencia.

This transfer saga has been ongoing for over a year now, and it would be nice to finally see it reach a conclusion. If all the hype surrounding Defour proves to be true, then I think he could be a hugely valuable asset. At the age of 22, Defour is the captain of one of Belgium’s most successful clubs and an established member of the Belgium national team having already amassed 24 appearances. Defour led his club to two league titles and was awarded the Golden Shoe in 2007 for being the most valuable player in Belgium. His accomplishments speak for themselves. If he’s as good as his achievements suggest, then I would eagerly welcome him to Old Trafford. Perhaps January is the perfect time for Sir Alex to finally capture his long-term target.

Discuss all today’s news and rumors in the forum.

You can follow Kyle on Twitter at KDill_MUFC.

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