Man Utd’s five best alternatives to Kalvin Phillips

Robin Bairner

13 Dec 2021 17:01 GMT
4 min read

Manchester United’s hunt for a central midfielder will continue during the January transfer window, but they suffered a blow with the news that Kalvin Phillips is ready to turn them down.

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Phillips, who has spent the whole of his professional career with Leeds, reportedly prefers a move to Liverpool. It is stated that the rivalry between Man Utd and the Elland Road side is a driving force behind this readiness to reject a switch to Old Trafford.

New United interim manager Ralf Rangnick will not simply have limited himself to one midfield option.

But who else might he target during the January window after suffering this blow? Here are five players who, according to SciSports, play in a similar manner to Phillips and could perform a similar role to him in the Man Utd side.

Marcelo Brozovic

Croatia international Brozovic has been impressing with Inter for years but his contract is up in June and it appears he is primed to move on. With the Serie A outfit struggling financially, they may elect to take up their last opportunity to sell the 29-year-old before he heads off for nothing in the summer.

The World Cup finalist is, therefore, a legitimate option for United and would likely be comparatively cheap.

Youri Tielemans

Tielemans has been a player who has caught the eye with Leicester since his move to the Premier League side in 2019 from Monaco. Indeed, the 24-year-old has long been associated with a move to Old Trafford.

Leicester are ailing in the league at present and are unlikely to mount a challenge for a European spot. With Tielemans’ deal up in 2023, he may feel it is soon time for him to take a step up, and his relatively short contract may mean the Foxes are tempted to sell.

Why Arsenal should try and sign Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans — © ProShots

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Another player who has long been linked with a possible move to Manchester United, the Lazio midfielder will be harder to attain than many of the other players on this list simply due to the fact his deal is up in 2024.

Lazio can comfortably wait until the summer and still get a very good price for the 26-year-old Serbia star.

Ryan Gravenberch

Ajax teenager Gravenberch is one of the top-rated prosects at the Amsterdam club. At 19-years-old, he is set to have a huge future in the game and will one day move to one of Europe’s biggest club.

Leaving the Netherlands now, though, is unlikely to be appealing. Great things are happening at Ajax, who are in the last 16 of the Champions League against Benfica, and Gravenberch will no doubt have watched with interest the way Donny van de Beek has been treated at Man Utd…

Who is Ajax star Ryan Gravenberch? — © ProShots

Leandro Barreiro

If Man Utd want a long-term option in the heart of their midfield, Mainz midfielder Barreiro should be seen as another attractive possibility. At just 21, he is enjoying an excellent season at a team pushing for a European spot in the Bundesliga.

Capable of playing a variety of roles in the centre of the pitch, the 33-time capped Luxembourg international promises to have a big future in the game.