How will Man Utd line up with Rabiot and Gakpo?
Stuart Telford
- Updated: 10 Aug 2022 08:20 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United need reinforcements if their opening day 2-1 loss to Brighton is anything to go by. Fortunately for them, Adrien Rabiot and Cody Gakpo appear to be inbound from Juventus and PSV Eindhoven respectively.
United have already done some summer shopping, signing Argentina centre-back Lisandro Martinez from Ajax for €67 million, Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord for €17m, as well as acquiring Christian Eriksen - a player rated at €12m by Football Transfers - on a free from Brentford.
While Paul Pogba has joined Juventus on a free, Cristiano Ronaldo's attempts to join him in leaving the club have so far proven fruitless for the player. Ronaldo missed United's undefeated pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, and has been wreaking havoc since.
No space for Ronaldo?
He went home early from United's final pre-season game against Rayo Vallecano, and was only fit enough for the bench against Brighton. With Anthony Martial injured, Eriksen started up front on Sunday, but the signing of Gakpo would alleviate the need for such a stop-gap in attack.
Gakpo is a Dutch international winger who does his best work from the left-hand side, from where he contributed 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions for PSV last season. With Gakpo installed, Marcus Rashford could get the nod up front going forward - especially if Martial continues to struggle with injury and Ronaldo leaves.
Rabiot 🆚 McTominay
Over 1,000 people have voted 🗳https://t.co/zqoBO01VZn— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 9, 2022
"We have two strikers, maybe a third one with Rashford as well, you could see him as a striker," Ten Hag said after the Brighton game. "He had a really good pre-season on the left side and also today had two really good chances, coming in from the left side, so I think it was the right decision to do it like this."
Rashford may have failed to convert those chances against Brighton, but this is a player who had enjoyed a 22-goal season as recently as 2019/20. If Ten Hag can help him regain his confidence, United could have an inhouse solution to their Ronaldo problem.
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Rabiot would slot straight into midfield, meanwhile, replacing one of Fred or Scott McTominay on the double pivot in front of defence. Rabiot brings balance as a left-footed defensive midfielder, and his ability to both win the ball back and carry it forward would make the France international a welcome addition.
Martinez endured a difficult debut against Brighton, and Rio Ferdinand suggested the diminutive Argentine could be used in midfield, but Rabiot's arrival would also save Ten Hag from having to tinker with his backline, and one poor performance does not a bad player make.
