From Jesper Olsen through Timothy Fosu Mensah to Daley Blind, Manchester United have developed a habit of spotting hot talent in Netherlands and shipping them straight to England. Not many have been instant hits, but this new prodigy from Amsterdam could be a real gem for Jose Mourinho’s side.
Millen Baars has chosen to put on the red shirt in Manchester after opting against Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.
He may be only 16 years old, but Baars played with a brave heart and possesses the trickery of an experienced Arjen Robben.
Player Profile
Name: Millen BaarsDate of Birth: 30/05/2000Born: BeverwijkPosition: Attacking MidfielderClub: AjaxInternational: Uncapped
Background
Baars is on the growing list of players represented by Stellar Group, alongside Luke Shaw and Fosu-Mensah. He broke onto the scene in 2015 for the Ajax youth team while playing in age limits competitions.
He has had a tumultuous start to a promising career after falling out with the youth coaches at Ajax and is the third youngster to leave the club after Fosu-Mensah and Tahith Chong.
His leadership qualities are also noticeable after the 16-year-old captained the Ajax B side in the Dutch second tier. Baars has however been a free agent after leaving the club during the summer and could become a key cog in the youth set up at Manchester United.
Strengths
Mourinho has not been much lucky with attracting young players to Manchester United after Fran Villalba turned him down to sign a new deal at Valencia and Rodrigo Bentarcur of Boca Juniors also opting for Italian Serie A giants Juventus.
However, the Portuguese tactician may have landed a prodigy in Baars. A versatile player who can play anywhere in the front three behind the centre-forward, he likes to link-up play with fellow attackers in the danger area just behind the box.
With a strong left foot, Baars likes to cut in from the left, beating opponents to his left, and picking his spot at far posts. The teenager does not possess electric pace but makes up for that with his deft touch and ability to beat his man; he shields the ball mostly with his right and dummies his opponents onto his wrong foot.
When playing in central midfield, Baars plays in wingers and wide men with cross-field passes. His wide range of passing finds his men spot on that easily opens up defences when the opposition remains resolute.
From the left attacking midfield position, Baars is capable of hugging the touchline to pick forwards with crosses from the by-line. His contribution from the space behind the orthodox striker will be welcome at Old Trafford should he receive a permit in January to play some part in Kieran McKenna’s Under-18 side.
Weaknesses
As is very common with many young stars in the game, Baars has a tendency of concentrating only on the attacking side of the game rather than helping his fellow young teammates when the team switches into defensive mode.
His deadly attacking instincts may have permitted him to stroll his way out of games when his team loses possession but the demands of the modern game will provide a stern test to his selfless attributes. He is often spotted walking through games on the wings and barely tracks back to augment the defensive work of the full back he is positioned ahead of.
Baars also usually lacks the ultimate finishing a forward needs and is not very clinical. He has a tendency of going for the jugular but they don’t come off often.
The majority of his play is centred around creating and not finishing, and although that may not necessarily be a weakness – as senior professional footballers such as Mesut Ozil have shown a player can live on assists than goals – Baars needs to add the much-needed finishing to his game.
(Video Courtesy: Voetbal Liefhebber YouTube Channel)
Baars’ father’s Quotes
"We have had talks with Ajax that were between Millen and the club," his father told Noordhollands Dagblad. "But it was certainly nothing shocking; he was even appointed captain this season of the B1.
"Ajax is a great club with a very good youth, but they can unfortunately not cope so very well. You saw in the past with other youth players who now play at other clubs. But Millen was ready for a different challenge.
"He played nine seasons in Amsterdam and he has always had the dream to play football in England.
"There was interest from Italy, Portugal and England, but when he was at Chelsea and United to look, he knew he wanted to play in Manchester. He did not even see Arsenal, his choice was made."
What's next?
Before joining Manchester United, there were strong reports that linked the young star to Chelsea and Arsenal, even his father suggested at some point they had received offers from Italy and Portugal. He may have been targeted by top sides and the reason his arrival at Old Trafford signals a boost for Nicky Butt’s academy.
When Dutchman Marcel Bout became Chief Scout of Manchester United in October, he made it a priority to make a statement by introducing bright talents that will shake up the youth system in Carrington and snapped up the Dutch youngster in October.
Verdict
His arrival at Manchester United will see an increase in expectations and demand more from the expectant fans, yet his skill and talent will burst forth if he is given time to settle at the club and the new country he finds himself in.
The presence of several young Dutch players in the United academy will help him settle in easily. With Mourinho giving youth a chance at the club, Baars will be one to watch out for at Old Trafford in the seasons to come.
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