Who Should Manchester United Sign to Help Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes?

Despite finishing strong in the post-restart league table, Manchester United are in desperate need of a creative player to come off their bench. The gap in quality between their starters and substitutes is worrying – but particularly so in midfield.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer refused to drop Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes or Nemanja Matić in seven of the final 11 league games, which were played approximately every three days in the quest to return Champions League nights to Old Trafford. If the Norwegian wants his side to challenge on multiple fronts next season and build on their 3rd place finish, United need to replenish the quality in this area to avoid important players burning out, getting injured and struggling unnecessarily as they did towards the end of the season.

Ideally, Solskjaer should seek a younger player (>25y/o) who will be content with minutes off the bench but can also take the creative responsibility off Pogba and Fernandes when the opportunity arises. Without this dynamic duo, the midfield struggle to get passes into the opposition penalty area.

The French and Portuguese internationals have completed 2.16 and 1.74 passes into the penalty area per 90 respectively and are some way off the likes of Fred and Andreas Pereira on 1.03 and 0.63. In addition, Pogba and Fernandes are the highest ranked midfielders at the club when looking at goals scored by the team when they are on the pitch with 2.31 and 2.12 goals per 90 respectively, while Fred and Pereira lag with 1.46 and 1.45.