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| Football stats experts WhoScored.com cast their eye over a reported Manchester United transfer target. |
When Luke Shaw’s leg was broken in Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat in Eindhoven earlier in the season, it was a major blow to player and club. The left-back was showing the sort of form expected of him following his big money arrival from Southampton 18 months ago, while supporters were confident he would emerge as a regular starter in defence in the long-term. Louis van Gaal even resisted the temptation to sign another left-back in the summer as he felt Shaw had the capability to play the whole season.
The 20-year-old is currently United's third highest rated player, according to WhoScored.com, with only Anthony Martial (7.51) and Chris Smalling (7.37) ranking higher. If United are prepared to bring in a new left-back in January in order to cover his absence, they will need one who is not only dependable as a defender, but one that also offers a similar offensive threat from deep.
Unsurprisingly, the title hopefuls have been linked with a move for Wolfsburg star Ricardo Rodriguez. The Switzerland international has emerged as one of the finest attacking full-backs on the continent, with his Bundesliga performances helping his stock rise significantly. His impressive outings at the 2014 World Cup further boosted his profile, while his WhoScored.com rating over the last three seasons (7.69) is the best of all regular left-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.
His performance levels may have dipped in recent seasons, but that isn’t to say he’s out of form. The fact of the matter is, the Swiss star is one of the most destructive attacking full-backs in football at present. The offensive threat he provides from deep helps stretch opposition defences and adds another dimension to the attack for both club and country.
This is reinforced in that Rodriguez has played more key passes (149) than any other defender in Europe’s top five leagues in the last three campaigns and highlights a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘key passes’. 14 league assists in the last three seasons is also a commendable return for the player. Given a vast majority of United’s attacks have come down the left (41%) this season, the 23-year-old seems the ideal candidate to fill in for Shaw at left-back during his absence and provide sufficient competition for a regular starting spot upon his return.
Given the top teams can often play upwards of 60 games a season due to their increased participation in more competitions, the need for sufficient personnel to cover positions increases the possibility of a new left-back signing for United in January. Meanwhile, Rodriguez isn’t one to shirk his defensive responsibilities have averaged a commendable 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per Bundesliga game this term, which would only bolster the Premier League’s best backline.
Van Gaal’s notable work with younger players could also benefit Rodriguez as he looks to improve as a player. The Dutchman has handed debuts to no fewer than eight United youth team players during his 18 months at the club, highlighting his faith in youngsters. The Switzerland defender is another who would develop accordingly under the United boss.
Of course, Wolfsburg would be reluctant to losing their star left-back in the New Year and it’s likely that United would have to part with a significant sum of money to secure the services of Rodriguez. However, if the club wishes to maintain its quest for the Premier League title, Rodriguez could well be their most important signing in January.
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