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Manuel Ugarte’s horrible cameo against Arsenal laid bare Manchester United’s need to recruit a new deep-lying playmaker before the summer transfer window ends.
The Uruguayan is clearly a liability on the ball, and given Casemiro cannot play every week due to his age, Ruben Amorim needs help in midfield.
Ideally, he wants someone who can add intensity, which explains why he was desperate for INEOS to try and sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton.
However, with the Seagulls unlikely to sell, the Red Devils are currently exploring alternatives.
Stiller on the club’s radar
Angelo Stiller of VfB Stuttgart has emerged as an option, as per Ben Jacobs, who revealed that the Germany international’s name came up during internal discussions.
“One of the midfielders on Manchester United’s list of options is Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller,” the journalist wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“No guarantee anything develops, or that any midfielder arrives, but internal discussions taking place over different targets. Stiller has come up in discussions as #MUFC now decide whether to sign another midfielder before the window shuts.”
Last season, he contributed four goals and eight assists from the defensive midfield position, which highlights his ability on the ball.
Amorim would love someone like the 24-year-old on the ball, who figured in the 96th percentile for chances created and in the 97th percentile for accurate long balls and pass completion among his peers in Germany (via fotmob).
However, it is without the ball where the former Bayern Munich star might not be as adept.
Pros and cons
As per Fbref, Angelo Stiller ranked in the 29th percentile for tackles, 39th percentile for interceptions, and 26th percentile for aerial duels won among midfielders across Europe.
Given the stats, it would be a risk to recruit the German, as the defensive midfielder in Amorim’s system is not only expected to have great vision on the ball, but he is also required to be extremely good without it as well.
Morten Hjulmand of Sporting CP also does not qualify for this reason. In the past, Stiller was valued at around £35 million, which might be a reason why renewed links have emerged.
Whether United opt to bring him in remains to be seen. Adam Wharton is another name on INEOS’ radar. Fans are waiting with bated breath to see who ultimately signs for the club.
Feature image Alex Grimm via Getty Images
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