Potential Panic Buy Edinson Cavani Could Light Up Old Trafford
I think it is fair to say Edinson Cavani was never top of Manchester United’s shopping list this summer, if he were they’d have agreed a deal with the striker earlier in the transfer window.
Yet as time runs out before the deadline strikes, it now looks like Man United are set to sign the Uruguayan (Source BBC Sport) after spending most of the summer trying to woo Jadon Sancho away from Borussia Dortmund.
The potential arrival of Cavani might be viewed as a bit of a panic buy but that doesn’t mean that the move doesn’t make sense.
The thirty-three year old has proven himself to be a prolific striker in both France and in Italy. He spent the past seven seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 138 Ligue 1 goals in 200 appearances.
Edinson would go on and win six league championships with PSG and ended his spell in Paris as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
The hitman also enjoyed prolific spells in Serie A with Palermo and Napoli. In total, Cavani has played fifty-four European games and scored an incredible thirty times.
United have probably lacked an experience goalscorer since Zlatan Ibrahimovic left the club in 2018 and have missed an all out goalscorer since Romelu Lukaku departed last summer for Inter Milan.
While young forwards like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have all stepped up and offered more goals than they have done previously you still see them struggle to break certain defences down. Edinson Cavani would offer a very different option up-top for Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The veteran will offer his new club extra height in the final third, giving them more of a focal point at times. He uses his height well and grabs plenty of goals with his head. Cavani also makes very intelligent runs which would create space for himself or for teammates. The hitman also works hard for his team, possess a very good first touch and is lethal when he sets his sight at goal.
Given his age and pedigree you’ve got to imagine he will be used in a rotation but he will still be dangerous coming on from the bench or playing for around 70 minutes or so. Also whenever he starts look out for him sometimes coming deep and allowing the likes of Rashford, Greenwood or Martial to dart in behind him. He’ll give the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba a different type of target to aim for with cutting through balls or early crosses to put into the box.
At times under Solskjaer, United have failed to kill teams off in what can be viewed as the easier encounters. El Matador would be ideal for those type of games against tight defences.
Former Man Utd striker Louis Saha took to twitter to show his enthusiasm for the potential signing:
If Manchester United can get the deal done, then I think it will be viewed as a good one as long as the Uruguayan international can continue his goalscoring form and become a leader within the young group of attackers. He will offer the club something different from what they already have in their striking options an he will offer the whole squad a new winning mentality.
That being said I would still expect Manchester United to make one or two more signings before the window closes. They still need another option at left-back and possibly a centre half and a right sided attacker too.
Posted on October 4th, 2020 by scott
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