Man Utd's Neves alternative is PERFECT for Ten Hag

Cameron Smith

• 24 Mar 2024 16:29 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester United have identified several different central midfielders as transfer targets ahead of the summer window in a bid to bolster Erik ten Hag’s squad.

Amadou Onana is one such player, FootballTransfers understands, while Benfica wonderkid Joao Neves has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford over the past few months.

Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes even recently hinted that Neves could be set for a big-money move once the 2023-24 season concludes.

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However, he is set to cost a lot of money if Enzo Fernandez’s move to Chelsea is Benfica’s benchmark. The Portuguese giants extracted €116 million from the Blues last year and they will look to earn a similar amount with Neves this summer.

As a result, Man Utd could be forced to pursue alternatives as they are also chasing Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise.

Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could be such a player. The Foxes sold James Maddison and Harvey Barnes last year, and although they look set to achieve promotion back to the English top flight, they may be forced to sell another one of their key players.

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Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Man Utd?

Dewsbury-Hall has been heavily linked with a move to a top Premier League club, with Man Utd and Arsenal among the clubs keen on landing him. He would suit both teams extremely well according to data analytics experts SciSports, but the Red Devils just edge out Mikel Arteta’s side.

Using SciSports’ Career Advice tool - which takes multiple factors into account to determine which club best suits any given player - Man Utd come out on top.

A transfer to Old Trafford is Dewsbury-Hall’s best option this summer and he could be a smart Neves or Onana alternative. While he is more attacking, the Leicester man has the quality to play deeper too and he could certainly be a good option next to Kobbie Mainoo and Fernandes.

He isn’t the pure defensive midfielder that Man Utd may be hoping to sign this summer, but Dewsbury-Hall is a fantastic footballer and given Mason Mount’s struggles since joining from Chelsea, signing a player capable of playing as a number eight would be a wise move.

Ten Hag has insisted that Mount’s career at Old Trafford is far from over, however his opening few months at Man Utd have not gone as planned and the Red Devils are evidently looking to bolster their midfield options this summer.

As for Dewsbury-Hall, he has 10 goals and 12 assists in 35 Championship appearances this season and he also recently shone during the Foxes’ narrow FA Cup defeat against Chelsea.

A move to Man Utd makes perfect sense and he would be perfect for Ten Hag.