Tchouameni to Man Utd? How in-demand Frenchman compares to Fred and McTominay

 

"After a great deal of thought, I have decided that this season will be my last with Manchester United. I have informed the board, the manager and the players of my decision," Nemanja Matic announced on Friday. The Serb was rewarded for his good form with a two-year deal in 2020 with the option of a third should all parties agree to the extension. 

 

However, Matic has decided to call an end to his time at Old Trafford, and you can't really blame him. Now 33, he looks a little out of his depth at United and a change of scenary would suit a midfielder very much in the twilight years of his career. Having started only 11 league matches this term, too, Matic would want guarantees of more regular game time to bow out on a high. 

 

The impending arrival of Erik ten Hag, too, means the likes of Matic, among others, would be left at the wayside as United seek to re-establish themselves as the dominant force in England. For too long now, United have laboured behind the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool and despite throwing money at high-profile arrivals, the managerial side of things needs a shake up. 

 

Ten Hag won't be afraid to ruffle feathers in the playing squad and those who don't abide by his demands are expected to be shown the Old Trafford exit. What's crucial though is the the incoming Dutchman has the full backing and patience from the board and the fanbase. Understandably, supporters want to see United return to the summit of English and European football, but that process won't happen overnight. With the right backing, however, then Ten Hag could be the right man to guide United into the next era. 

 

He'll need the powers that be to invest appropriately in the summer, with a new central midfielder, even before Matic's departure was confirmed, a priority. Aurelien Tchouameni has established himself as one of the most in-demand central midfielders in Europe following another superb season for Monaco, with the France international now courted by the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea. 

 

However, reports on Friday suggested that Ten Hag has identified Tchouameni as a summer priority as United gear up for a midfield revamp. With Fred and Scott McTominay sidelined for United's welcome of Norwich on Saturday, interim boss Ralf Rangnick opted for a trio of Jesse Lingard, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, with Matic on the bench. The Canaries had scored just eight league goals in 15 away matches prior to their meeting with United, yet even so, the lack of protection almost saw United throw away key points in the race for the the top-four as a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick saw them secure a 3-2 win. 

 

A player of Tchouameni's calibre would undoubtedly walk into this United side, even with everyone fit, and establish himself as first choice in the middle of the park. The 22-year-old has made more tackles and interceptions combined (159) than any other player in Ligue 1 this season, and ranks first for possession won in the midfield third (151) in France's top tier this term. 

 

 

By comparison at United, Fred (87) and McTominay (79) rank first and second, respectively, for possession won in the midfield third in the Premier League this season, collectively just 15 times more than Tchouameni has done so for Monaco in 2021/22. The pair also rank first (Fred - 91) and second (McTominay - 87) for tackles and interceptions combined for United in England's top tier this term, just 19 more than Tchouameni. 

 

In terms of ball retention, Tchouameni outperforms Fred and McTominay. Admittedly in a different league playing in a different system, the former still has a better pass success rate (87.2%) from more passes per 90 (65.3) than Fred (84% from 58 passes per 90) and McTominay (85.2% from 45.8 passes per 90). Effective at both winning the ball and recycling possession, it's no wonder that Tchouameni's stock continues to soar and as a target to bolster United's midfield, they are unlikely to get better provided they can beat off stiff competition in the youngster's services. 

 

You can be sure that Norwich would not have scored twice at Old Trafford had Tchouameni been in that United midfield such is his ability to break up play and protect the backline. In addition, he'd provide an another aerial threat for the Premier League side having garnered a WhoScored strength of 'aerial duels'. It's deserved, too, with Tchouameni returning a 71.4% aerial success rate in Ligue 1 this season. 

 

Compared to United's midfielders, McTominay (65.9%) comes closest to match Tchouameni's success in the air, with Fred (57.7%) labouring behind the France international. 

 

It's expected that Ten Hag will implement a 4-2-3-1 system as he has done for Ajax this season, and it's a setup that would benefit Tchouameni's style of play. With the appropriate midfield partner, Tchouameni would quickly prove why he'd be worth the fuss and, crucially, prove an upgrade on both Fred and McTominay, whose collective struggles have come to the fore on more than one occasion this season.

Tchouameni to Man Utd? How in-demand Frenchman compares to Fred and McTominay