Manchester United’s priority this summer will be to sign at least one new defensive midfielder.
Many fans hoped this was an issue that would have been addressed last month, however with January notoriously being a difficult market in which to recruit, it shouldn’t be a huge shock that no such deal materialised.
Which player United target to fill this void in the summer could very much be dependent on who the club bring in as their new manager.
It’s been widely reported that United have a five-man shortlist to be their next permanent manager, and one of the prominent names on that list is Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag might, in the past, have been considered something of a risky appointment for elite clubs like United, due to his lack of senior experience in one of Europe’s big five leagues. Yet he's now starting to win around a large portion of the United fanbase thanks to his impressive work with the Dutch giants.
And at Ajax, it’s worth noting that Ten Hag is currently working with one of the most exciting young defensive midfielders in Europe, Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch is still just 19, yet he’s already notched close to 90 senior first-team appearances for Ajax, becoming an integral part of Ten Hag’s side.
Ajax usually play a 4-2-3-1 formation and within that Gravenberch plays as one of the two double-pivot roles, most often on the left side.
He boats excellent physical traits that make him a great fit for the defensive midfield role. He is talll at 6ft3in, but also very mobile, able to press and cover a lot of ground quickly.
Each of these facets help Gravenberch win a significant amount of defensive duels, a point captured by his standout success rate of 70 per cent in the league this season.
Although Gravenberch has excellent defensive attributes, his quality goes beyond what he offers without the ball. He's also excellent on the ball.
He can play a wide range of short and long accurate passes and is a great driving force with the ball at his feet. Strikingly for all central-midfielders who have played more than 1000 minutes this season, he ranks second in the Eredivisie for the highest number of progressive runs made per 90 (2.96).
If Ten Hag was to come to Old Trafford this summer, then bringing Gravenberch with him could prove to be a much-welcomed added bonus. And given that the teenager's contract expires next summer, United could quite possibly take advantage and secure a deal for a cut price. It could be the double deal that revives United's hopes of returning to the top of English football.
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