Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has suggested Erik ten Hag should consider a surprise swoop for Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey.
Partey is expected to leave Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners close to completing a record £105m move for Declan Rice. Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia is also on their radar and Mikel Arteta's midfield rebuild could spell the end of Partey's time at the Emirates.
And Ince, who played for the likes of United, West Ham, Inter Milan and Liverpool, believes the Red Devils need to sign a new midfielder and that Partey would be an ideal signing. "I look at Casemiro, Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, great players that they are, they're still crying out for that one who's got the legs," Ince told Betway.
"Basically, a younger version of Casemiro, which isn't going to be cheap. Obviously, there's a lot of talk about [Moises] Caicedo.
"I like Franck Kessie at Barcelona. He's not getting enough game time. There's also talk about Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal. You think about the first six months of the season, Partey was absolutely fantastic.
"Jorginho came in and, for some reason, he stopped getting games. That's when Arsenal started losing and drawing games. I'd be looking at someone like him or Kessie."
Ince, who was recently sacked as Reading manager, also believes there are parallels between Rice's imminent move from West Ham to Arsenal and his switch from the Hammers to United back in 1989. "It's always a big loss when you lose your main man, your captain, and even more so at such a young age," Ince explained.
"But I think it's something he had to do. I see some similarities in myself being at West Ham and Manchester United came calling. You've got to want to try yourself at the next level. That's not being disrespectful to West Ham.
"For me, United was the next level and when they come calling it's hard to say no. Declan has done all he can do at West Ham. Obviously, it's going to hurt him to leave, but he needs to go to the next level and see if he can perform. I believe he can.
"It's going to leave a massive hole in the West Ham midfield but I'm sure David Moyes and the club would have planned for this because they knew that this was his last season.
"They need to bring in a striker, we've been saying that for ages. Gianluca Scamacca came in and hasn't really hit the ground running, Michail Antonio, for how great he is, he's not natural striker. They need to bring in someone who's going to score them goals."
