The daring £30m signing that could bring back Man Utd’s ruthless midfield grit

It doesn’t take an expert tactician to see that Manchester United’s midfield has been distinctly out of sorts so far this season. Erik Ten Hag’s side may have six points from their first three games but have come perilously close to dropping points at home to both Wolves and Nottingham Forest, while Tottenham Hotspur beat them comfortably. In each game, they have struggled to get a grip in the centre of the park. The good news is that the rumour mill now has them raiding one of their opponents for a midfielder who could make a big difference – Spurs’ Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.

The 28-year-old Dane was on the verge of a £30m move to Atlético Madrid earlier in the summer, but that fell through and now a man who has been one of Spurs’ most reliable starters for the past three seasons finds himself out of favour and on the look out for a new employer. It just so happens that United direly need a player with his qualities.

United had bought Mason Mount to fill the number eight slot, but in his two starts so far (and a distinctly uninspiring pre-season) he hasn’t looked like the right man for the job – a player used to operating wide left or as a number ten crowbarred into a Jordan Henderson-style water carrier role that doesn’t suit him and which he isn’t well-versed in. His replacement when injured against Forest, Christian Eriksen, is hugely experienced but also a natural number ten. United once again find themselves in need of a veteran figure to plug a midfield hole, much as they did when they signed Marcel Sabitzer on loan back in January. Sabitzer made a big contribution to United’s eventual top four position, and Højbjerg could well do the same.

The former Southampton man may not be the kind of glamorous addition that big-name clubs love, but he is an exceptionally canny operator. He’s a fine passer of the ball with a good range and the knack of recycling play quickly and efficiently. He doesn’t give the ball away often, makes turnovers and reads the game well, and while he isn’t one of the great dribblers of the game, his ball-carrying skills are good enough to make sure he can play a role in taking the ball from the defensive third to the final third with his feet or with a pass.

And while Mount is visibly uncertain over his positioning and movement in an unfamiliar position, Højbjerg knows the role of the second man in a midfield three down to the fine details. He would win more possession back, help to retain it more efficiently, and help kick-start attacks – and would free Mount up to play wide left once he’s back from injury, where the England international can make a significant contribution. Given that neither Alejandro Garnacho nor Jadon Sancho have exactly made the left-sided forward position their own so far, it makes sense to give Mount a chance to stake his claim as Marcus Rashford’s support man.

And while Højbjerg may not be a flashy operator, it’s a poor judge of the game who doesn’t think he can improve United’s squad. A comparison with his performances last season compared to Sabitzer’s and Fred’s, who often played the role last year at Old Trafford, makes it clear that the Dane is a step ahead of both. He has comfortably better passing statistics, makes more tackles, makes far more blocks and interceptions, has a much better dribbling success rate and even contributes more in the final third – he scored four goals and made another five for Spurs last season, even as the team around him often struggled. Sabitzer was responsible for three goal contributions, by way of comparison, and Fred four. In other words, the raw numbers show that Højbjerg was able to perform better while playing for what was, at the time, a weaker team. He is a high-class player.

And he would, presumably, be keen on the move. Højbjerg seems ready for a fresh challenge and unwilling to accept a rotational role, which is an inevitability under Ange Postecoglou. It’s unlikely that he’d be the nailed on starter at Old Trafford that he has been for the past five years in the Premier League, but he’d have the chance to make the spot his own – and, of course, Champions League football can do a great deal to soothe the ego.

And from United’s perspective, this is the kind of player they truly need to glue everything together. Right now, they’re disjointed, strategically confused and messy, a team scraping by on individual quality rather than team performance. It’s their good fortune that they haven’t had to play more than one team that can be expected to mount a top-four challenge in their current state. They’re a team putting square pegs in round holes and carrying out-of-form players in key positions. Højbjerg would potentially settle one role, unlock Mount to play in another, and add depth, flexibility and tactical acumen to a team that’s short of it.

We’d say you can’t put a price on that, but of course, in football, you can. If it was set to cost Diego Simeone’s side £30m, one would assume that the price tag would still be similar, although the reports doing the rounds right now haven’t mentioned specific terms – just that Højbjerg is being considered. That is, at least, a sign of some sensible heads identifying a problem and seeing a good fit for the fix, and Ten Hag is likely behind it, having been a professed admirer of the player who tried to sign him when manager of Ajax. This time around, he could well get his wish.