“He is ready for a big move” – Darren Bent urges Premier League striker to snub Manchester United and ‘thrive’ at Chelsea instead
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent reckons striker Aleksandar Mitrovic would be better advised to join Chelsea instead of Manchester United.
The Fulham talisman has been in prolific form this season, scoring 11 goals in 15 Premier League games. He scored a record-breaking 43 goals in 44 games in the Championship last season, helping the Cottagers earn promotion to the top flight.
Bent believes it's time for Mitrovic to move to a bigger club like Chelsea or Manchester United, telling talkSPORT:
“I think he is (ready for a big move). He scores a lot of goals for Serbia. I think he’s their all-time record goalscorer. The only thing about Mitrovic is that if you bring him in, you’re going to have to play in a particular way."
He added:
"You have to give him service and get the ball into the box because that’s where he’s at his best. He gets across the defender, is really strong in the air, holds up the ball but isn’t the quickest."
Bent reckons Mitrovic might not be a good fit at Manchester United, as Erik ten Hag's playing style might not be compatible with the Serbian striker's. He said:
“When you talk about putting him in a team like United, they’re a team who play on the break, fast. Say you’ve got (Marcus) Rashford and (Alejandro) Garnacho or Antony, they’re not looking to cross the ball. Rashford is looking to cut in off the left flank and bang, get the shot off."
He added:
“Mitrovic needs service, and I think that the way Manchester United play and break with pace, it might not suit him. With the way that Ten Hag plays, are they going to revert to playing a certain way with Mitrovic in? Probably not, but he can play at the top, top level.”
11 goals for Aleksandar Mitrović in 15 PL appearances.
What a season he is having 🔥 https://t.co/tpPgZ7Jn7h
Bent said that Mitrovic would be a good fit for a club like Chelsea, who have excellent full-backs in Ben Chilwell and Reece James. He said:
“When you look at their wing-backs, the likes of Reece James and Ben Chilwell and the way they fling crosses in, he’d thrive in that system.”
Both Chelsea and Manchester United need a striker
Chelsea signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona last summer, but he has scored just thrice in 16 appearances across competitions this season. Meanwhile, Armando Broja is out of action till the end of the season due to an ACL injury.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has managed just THREE shots on target so far this season in the Premier League!
[via @WhoScored] https://t.co/TwsDnNpqiP
The Blues have struggled to score goals, and much of that can be attributed to the lack of a proper No. 9. Hence, Mitrovic could be an excellent arrival.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have Anthony Martial, but the Frenchman has been injury-prone. Ten Hag has used Marcus Rashford as a striker, but the Englishman thrives better as a winger.
So, the Red Devils could also be on the lookout for a striker, but as Bent suggested, Mitrovic's playing style might not suit the club.