7 goals, 50 tackles won: This Serie A warrior would transform Manchester United’s limp midfield

Travel down to Old Trafford on match day and you’re liable to see thousands of Reds rocking back and forth chanting the mantra “we need a midfielder, we need a midfielder, we need a midfielder…” Regardless of what many claim the only real problem Sir Alex Ferguson left David Moyes, was a midfield-shaped one, with the obvious requirement: strengthen that department. Moyes has made an effort to improve the midfield area but the jury is still very much out on whether Marouane Fellaini is the answer to United’s problems and considering he’s currently sidelined, it’s not something we’ll know anytime soon.

Four home defeats this season has added pressure to the new United manager, which could force him into action when it comes to strengthening the midfield in a big way. Buying a Yohan Cabaye or an Anders Herrera is all well and good but it wouldn’t be the marquee addition that perhaps the United fans crave and would really elevate the side. There is a signing though that would do just that. Arturo Vidal is one of Europe’s most highly rated midfielders and thoroughly deserves the moniker ‘Il Guerriero’ [the warrior] that the Italian press have labelled him with. The Daily Mirrorreport that Man United are considering the relentless midfielder.

Never shy of getting stuck in, the Chilean has been an ever-present for the Old Lady this season and it’s his tough tackling energetic style that has made him such a firm favourite in Turin and ideal for the United side.

The number of tackles the midfielder is willing to attempt, not to mention the number that are actually successful puts his United counterparts in the shade and there can be little doubt he’d walk into David Moyes side- probably snarling as he did it.

Just looking at Tom Cleverley’s attempted tackles in one fewer league game, this gives you an indication of how effective Vidal could be for United.

It’s not just tackling the 26 year-old excels at, with seven goals to his name in Serie A, the same number that Danny Welbeck’s managed upfront for United, Vidal could also add some desperately needed firepower to the Reds midfield.

Not to keep sticking the knife into Cleverley but the United midfielder has managed one league goal in a calendar year, while his team mates Anderson, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Shinji Kagawa, Ryan Giggs and Phil Jones haven’t scored at all this season.

Like those god-awful Kevin Bacon adverts remind us, somethings are a no-brainer and United’s need for a player of the caliber of Vidal is exactly that, the only question is would Juventus be willing to sell their Chilean warrior?