Manchester United- Kieran Trippier
A player who may be more ideal for Manchester United is Kieran Trippier. The Tottenham right-back was arguably one of the best players at the World Cup as he was resolute defensively and dynamic in attack from right wing-back.
Trippier ranked 1st in key passes (passes that created chances), 1st in a successful cross, 3rd in total tackles and 10th in interceptions. Those statistics are absolutely world-class and Trippier could really provide a different dimension to Manchester United (who created fewer chances per game than any other Premier League Top Six team last season).
While Trippier’s World Cup statistics are far better than his statistics in the Premier League, the right-back was also very influential for his club team over the past season. In fact, Trippier ranked 18th in key passes per game in the 2017-18 season- still more than any Manchester United player apart from Juan Mata.
While fan favorite (and likely club captain) Antonio Valencia is the usual starter at right-back, the Ecuadorian is 32 years old and his physical attributes are only going to decline from this point. Trippier could be the long-term replacement for Valencia at the position and in the short-term, could provide competition.
However, there might be another way of using Trippier. Considering that Trippier creates so many chances (evidenced by the statistics above), there could be an argument about using him as a right winger in Mourinho’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation (almost a Gareth Bale like transformation).
Trippier would be the perfect Mourinho winger- industrious yet hard-working with an ability to track back. This would also allow Mourinho to be more adventurous with his selections on the left-wing, as Nemanja Matic could help out in the knowledge that Trippier can cover on the right.
Moreover, Trippier’s set-pieces could help the likes of Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, and Romelu Lukaku wreak havoc in such situations. In short, the Tottenham right-back would be the perfect transfer signing for Jose Mourinho.
