Now that the January transfer window has slammed shut, all the focus in world football will now be on the business to be conducted during the summer months. While the big news regarding Manchester United is the possible purchase of Antoine Griezmann, there is no doubt that there exists another pressing concern for Jose Mourinho – finding a replacement for Michael Carrick.
Carrick has been an absolute rock in midfield this season, with Manchester United winning 14 of the 19 games he has played in this season. However, he will turn 36 in July, and thus a replacement has to be lined up sooner rather than later, to take his place in the United midfield.
#5 Marcelo Brozovic
Age: 24
Nationality: Croatia
Team: Inter Milan
Value: £18.8 million
Number one on this list is Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. The Inter Milan midfielder has been deployed this season mainly as a box-to-box midfielder, but the general consensus is that the high quality of his game is not affected, no matter where he plays in midfield. Comparing his statistics with Carrick's for this season, Brozovic has made more tackles per game than the Englishman, 2.9 to Carrick's 1.2.
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The Manchester United midfielder, however, makes more interceptions than Brozovic. However, in terms of passing, Brozovic actually sweeps this battle. His two assists this season certainly outweigh Carrick's none, and he provides seven times more key passes per game than the veteran. He also provides more crosses, long balls and through balls. The only area in which Carrick is superior is in passing success rate, his 90.6% trumping Brozovic's 83.7%.
At the age of just 24, the Croatian certainly has a good mixture of youth and top-flight experience, and his price tag should be no obstacle for a club of United's financial muscle.
#4 Jean Michael Seri
Age: 25
Nationality: Ivory Coast
Team: OGC Nice
Value: £10.25 million
As far as most football fans are concerned, Ligue 1 is the football equivalent of a bad joke, with Paris Saint-Germain usually wrapping up the league by March or April, racking up 9-0 and 7-0 scorelines along the way. However, this season has been vastly different, with Nice and Monaco well and truly part of the title race, and one massive contributing factor has been this man.
Jean Michael Seri has held up the Nice midfield, allowing the likes of Wylan Cyprien and Alassane Plea to do the damage as far as goals are concerned. Perhaps not as much a holding midfielder as a deep-lying playmaker, Seri's stats when it comes to passing are outrageous. He has provided 8 assists this season (not to mention he's scored 3 goals) and 2.6 key passes per game, as well as attempting almost 78 passes per game, with a passing accuracy of 89.3%.
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To put that in perspective, Blaise Matuidi has almost the same passing completion rate, despite attempting almost 30 passes fewer per game. There is no doubt that his value will soar in the coming years, as he reaches his peak, so if United buy him now, it could be the coup of the summer.
#3 Idrissa Gueye
Age: 27
Nationality: Senegal
Team: Everton
Value: £9.39 million
The common factor between the best teams in the Premier League in 2015/16 and 2016/17 has been N'Golo Kante. Much has been written about how he has been severely underrated. However, his exploits have come to light thanks to the brilliant form of the teams he's been in. Another Premier League midfielder, however, deserves the tag of 'most underrated player in England – Idrissa Gueye.
This season, the Senegal international has made 11 tackles more than Kante, despite playing almost 400 minutes less than the Frenchman. He has made 93 tackles in total (4.9 per game), the most in Europe's top 5 leagues. His valuation on the transfer market, for a midfielder who can break up opposition plays, is criminally low. He also makes 2.3 interceptions per game, a number very similar to Carrick's.
(Video Courtesy: GALSEN MBT YouTube Channel)
His passing stats are not to be scoffed at either, as an average of 60 passes attempted per game at 85% accuracy says. Everton are unlikely to want to let go of Gueye, but United should go all out for him. Combined with the fact that he has Premier League experience with Aston Villa and Everton, a midfield trio of him, Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera is a dangerous proposition for opposition teams.
#2 Marcos Llorente
Age: 22
Nationality: Spain
Team: Deportivo Alaves (on loan from Real Madrid)
Value: £6.4 million
Onto La Liga now, and Marcos Llorente, the latest player to come out of the famed Real Madrid youth academy. While on loan at Alaves this season, Llorente has really come into his own as a tough-tackling midfielder with an eye for a defence-splitting pass.
He has formed an integral part of Alaves' side, starting 16 league games so far this campaign. He is a combative player, strong and confident on the ball and well-positioned off it. He averages 4.1 tackles per game, the joint-second highest in La Liga, as well as making 2.8 interceptions per game.
(Video Courtesy: RealMadrid.Universe YouTube Channel)
His passing percentage stands at an impressive 86.4%, not bad for a player who attempts 6.1 long balls per game. If he were to make a move to the Premier League, it may take him a season or two to settle down, but he certainly is one for the future.
#1 Johannes Geis
Age: 23
Nationality: Germany
Team: FC Schalke 04
Value: £12.81 million
Ever since Johannes Geis arrived at Schalke from Mainz in 2015, his game has only improved. Another player who can pull the strings from deep in midfield, Geis has impressed one and all in Germany.
His 1.8 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game are testament to his combative ability, and he shows a particular proclivity for direct play, by looking to launch the ball over defenders into the path of a willing runner or up to a tall target man.
(Video Courtesy: Adrift Soccer YouTube Channel)
His delivery from corners is impressive, his penalties are confident, and his free kicks are a sight to behold, rivalling even those of Bundesliga free-kick king Hakan Calhanoglu of Bayer Leverkusen. He is the ideal midfielder to have in a team packed with pace with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial.
