"Casemiro is missing someone next to him that can pass the ball" - Paul Parker names player Manchester United should've signed instead of Mason Mount
Former Manchester United full-back Paul Parker believes the Red Devils should have signed James Maddison instead of Mason Mount this summer. The Englishman insists that the former Leicester City midfielder is what Erik ten Hag's side need at the moment.
Parker told online betting site bettors (via talkSPORT):
"Manchester United should have spent the Mason Mount money on James Maddison. I’ve never been too sure on Maddison because of his temperament and he picks up a lot of injuries."
"His performances so far suggest that Maddison would have been the right player to buy. I personally wasn't behind buying Mount. He isn’t what Manchester United needs."
Parker believes Maddison's playing style is similar to that of Christian Eriksen when he was at Tottenham Hotspur. He added:
"They needed somebody to come in and be like Eriksen. Maddison is like Eriksen when he was at Tottenham. A wonderful player to watch. One of the best foreign players to come to the Premier League in recent times. One of the top players to come from Europe.”
Parker went on to explain that Casemiro needs a midfield partner who is great at distribution, something he believes Mount is incapable of. The Englishman said:
“Casemiro is missing someone next to him that can pass the ball. The ball isn’t being passed. It’s being given away cheaply. You’ve got someone in Mount who runs around a lot and someone in Fernandes who is erratic and displays his frustration and throws his hands in the air rather than chase back.”
Manchester United secured Mount's services from Chelsea this summer for £55 million. The England international has registered two Premier League appearances for the Red Devils so far. He missed their fixture against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (26 August) after picking up an injury against Tottenham last weekend.
"I wouldn't be in a rush" - Chris Sutton urges Manchester United not to sell 26-year-old star
Former Premier League star Chris Sutton has urged Manchester United not to offload Scott McTominay this summer.
The Scottish midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag. He made only 10 Premier League starts during the 2022-23 campaign and has played just a total of seven minutes on the pitch this season over two league fixtures.
The likes of Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Christian Eriksen have been largely preferred by Ten Hag over McTominay. The Red Devils have brought in Mount as well, which most likely makes things worse for the Scotland international.
However, Sutton believes the midfielder could be an asset to Ten Hag's side, warning them not to be in a rush to sell him. The Englishman said (via Manchester Evening News):
“It seems pretty odd that Manchester United need to sell to bring players in. McTominay is a strange one, isn't he? Because I'm just watching them last week against Tottenham. I think that Manchester United certainly missed that drive and that tenacity in the middle of the park. I really do think that they maybe missed his type."
"But it's one to watch. They clearly want Harry Maguire out of the club. But I think with regards to McTominay, I wouldn't be in a rush to get him out of the door necessarily.”
McTominay has made 211 appearances across competitions for United, scoring 19 goals in the process.