As has always been the case, headlines about strikers predominate.
Attackers have always been more likely than defenders to become famous, whether it be because they score a dramatic victory, sell more jerseys, or make the most money. The transfer rumors surrounding Manchester United do little to change that reality.
While the focus of the conversation has been on prospective transfers for Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen, and others, all signs point to the arrival of a new center-back at Old Trafford as well. The Red Devils are reportedly interested in defenders Kim Min-jae and Axel Disasi.
The former has emerged as Napoli’s standout performance this season; it is thought that he has a £45m buyout clause. For the supporters of the Gli Azzurri, Min-jae helped Napoli win their first Serie A championship in more than 30 years and rendered erstwhile dominant defender Kalidou Koulibaly a distant memory.
Disasi, on the other hand, stands out occasionally amid a disappointing campaign for Monaco. The Frenchman began each Ligue 1 match as his team ended sixth, losing out on a spot in Europe while generating further rumors about a prospective transfer.
If Harry Maguire decides to leave Old Trafford, United will almost surely start looking for a replacement. But who ought to sign for them? There should only be one winner if the statistics are to be believed.
Disasi outperforms Min-jae in terms of goal scoring, but by a small margin, with three goals to her opponent’s two. Ten Hag, a South Korean who tops the defensive numbers, won’t be signing any of these as a number nine.
While Min-jae was a member of the team in 2022–23, Napoli allowed just 24 goals in 35 games, which served as the foundation for their Serie A league-winning season. Monaco, in contrast, was a goal-scoring machine, giving up 56 in 38 games while Disasi played.
However, you can wonder if Napoli’s superiority as a team skews such statistics. Well, Min-jae also rules on a personal level.
This season, the 26-year-old averaged 1.7 tackles per 90 minutes, which is much more than Disasi (0.9 per game). In addition, Min-jae outperformed his opponent in terms of clearances (3.6 per game) and aerial duels (2.8 per game).
Ten Hag prefers to play out from the back, which is standard in the current game, as United fans are aware. The Red Devils’ center-backs must be able to pass the ball from deep for that to succeed.
There can only be one winner once more. Throughout Napoli’s championship-winning season, Min-jae averaged a remarkable 91 percent pass completion rate. Disasi, on the other hand, only achieved 83.8%, highlighting his meager skill set.
Man United ought to be working extremely hard to make Min-jae a top transfer priority at £45m. Ten Hag will move one step closer to winning the Premier League by spending the extra money to sign a proven league winner given that Disasi is valued at £10m less.
