How Leon Bailey can rejuvenate Manchester United's front line
Antonio Valencia has not been replaced adequately since he successfully converted himself into a right-back at the start of 2013-14 season. Many players have tried in vain and huge sums of money have been spent but the right-wing still remains an issue for United and it is holding them back.
Mata is the player who gets the nod in the big games but his lack of pace slows down United's attacks and his tendency to drift to a more central role deprives United of natural width which Valencia often compensates, leaving United open at the back sometimes.
United have been linked with quite a few players to fill in the role and Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey is one of them.
Bailey has been the Bundesliga's breakout star this season and has troubled opponents with his speed and dribbling ability on the break.
About Bailey
Leon Bailey is a Jamaican national who first grabbed attention through his exploits for Belgian side Genk in the 2016/17 Europa League with three goals in the qualifiers and a further four in the group stages. He was eyed by the big European clubs but joined Leverkusen in January 2017 for a fee of €15 million plus add-ons
He had a quiet start to his Leverkusen career, but the arrival of new head coach Heiko Herrlich things changed and he has made 23 appearances in the top flight this season and has been the league's breakout star.
He is yet to play for Jamaica's senior national team and recent reports suggest England are considering approaching him further highlighting his potential and ability.
Playing Style
His style of play has been compared to a certain Arjen Robben in some Bundesliga circles and it is easy to see why. Bailey has played in the same position as Robben this season -- on the right-wing -- and is extremely quick. His decision making has improved as the season has passed which is why quite a few clubs are after him. The one thing differentiating him from Robben is his ambidexterity which makes him unpredictable.
Strengths
Bailey's main strength is his extreme pace and ability to glide past opponents at ease. He has clocked an incredible top speed of 21.4 mph in the Bundesliga and is one of the quickest players in the league. He also averages 29 sprints per game and takes on opponents on average 19.8 times per 90 minutes.
The key quality which differentiates him from others is his ambidexterity which makes him unpredictable. He is a good crosser of the ball too and has delivered 22 successful crosses so far this season and is a composed finisher, having converted two of his three clear-cut chances so far.
(All stats courtesy of Bundesliga.com)
Weaknesses
While there is no apparent weakness in Bailey's offensive game it's the defensive side of the game that requires improvement such as his hold-up play which needs major improvement.
Since he concentrates more on attacking, he doesn't help his defence by tracking back but since Leverkusen have adopted a 3-4-3 formation he has been given greater defensive responsibilities.
Suitability for United
The current United side lacks a good crosser and also a player who can hog the touchline and bring a bit of unpredictability into their play and Bailey ticks all those boxes.
He would free up Valencia on the right so that and make those overlapping runs if and when necessary.
Bailey's pace and ability to beat a player with his dribbling will come in handy on the counterattacks against the better teams. His versatility will also appeal to Mourinho and is capable of playing anywhere across the front three and his link-up play on the counter-attack with Kai Havertz has been a delight to watch this season and he is sure to replicate that at United who have not been as effective on the counter-attack this season as Mourinho would have wanted.
Conclusion
Mourinho has stated he would not buy any more attackers in the summer transfer window but United are still short of a right-winger to balance their attack.
A balanced attack is crucial to any title-winning team as City have demonstrated this season with the wing-play of Sane and Sterling which has been crucial to their success story this season.
Bailey's form this season has some of Europe's biggest clubs circling around him and United need to act fast and efficiently if they want to secure his services.
United did not hesitate to pay the asking fee for Martial, who was an unproven commodity on the big stage but had huge potential which convinced United to make him the world's most expensive teenager back then.
Bailey has proven himself in the Bundesliga this season and at 20 years of age, has a lot of time to iron out his weaknesses so would be worth his fee.
Leverkusen have said they will not sell Bailey for less than €50 million, the same fee United paid for Martial in hope that it will deter clubs from making a move, but money will not be a deterrent for United.
An attack featuring Martial and Bailey on the wings is a mouth-watering prospect and with Pogba joining in, United have the potential to become one of the most feared teams on the counter.