With the capture of Pedro supposedly imminent as Louis van Gaal’s’ sixth signing this summer, Manchester United’s squad continues to grow in size. It’s not always good news, though, as when new players come in, it means less first team opportunities for others. Add in to the mix the fact that van Gaal has faith in his younger generation of players such as Blackett, McNair, Pereria, Lingard, Januzaj and Wilson, first team appearances are harder to come by.
That being said, let’s look at the players who may be resigned to warming the bench this season:
Antonio Valencia – 30 years old) From Wigan for £16 million – June 2009
The former fastest player in the Premier League, now a spare unorthodox right back. Valencia, when he was used on the right wing, used to terrorise defenders and get ball after ball into the box. But as van Gaal arrived he was forced to become Uniteds main right back, due to a lacklustre impression of Rafael. You could tell Valencia wasn’t in a familiar position as he made quite a few defensive errors, most notably against Arsenal to allow them to win the FA cup quarter final last season. Despite this, he put in a few good performances and allowed United to paper over the cracks. However, with Darmian present, who is yet to set a foot wrong in a United shirt,
Valencia will have to settle for being a back-up player.
Javier Hernandez – 27 years old) From Guadalajara for £8 million – July
2010
Chicharito or ‘Little Pea’ was brought in by Sir Alex Ferguson for specific reasons, his pace and reflexes, as they allow him to get on the end of the balls or poach and get the easy goals. Under Fergie he scored 50 goals from 117 appearances, that’s one goal every 2.3 games, but under David Moyes that dropped to one goal every 4 games before falling out of favour entirely. A loan spell to Real Madrid saw much of the same statistics as under Moyes and they decided they didn’t want him either. But with the departures of van Persie and Falcao, Louis van Gaal will keep Hernandez as a back-up even though he is well behind Rooney as a player. From ‘super sub’ to just sub for the Mexican forward
Phil Jones – 23 years old) From Blackburn for £16.5 million – June 2011
Once tipped by Sir Alex Ferguson to be his best ever signing, oh how the mighty have fallen. Since arriving at United, Jones has seemed to get worse with age, becoming reckless with challenges, sloppy with passes and unaware of the players and game around him. It seems Blind and Smalling is van Gaal’s favoured defensive partnership at the
moment with the pair helping keep two clean sheets from two games. With Rojo back to full fitness soon and impressing performances from the young Paddy McNair, Jones seems to have fallen further down the defensive pecking order.
Marouane Fellaini – 27 years old) From Everton for £27.5 million –
September 2013
The big bad Belgian is still banned for one more game from his red card against Hull on the final day of the 2014-2015 season. To many he was seen as a panic buy by his former Everton manager David Moyes at the last minute of deadline day. He struggled to make an impact during his first season and was nowhere near worth his hefty price tag. Under van Gaal though last season, he seemed revitalised and was used to his strengths, such as his physical prowess, aerial dominance and powerful shooting. He’ll be looking to assert himself back into first-team football but easier said than done. With Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Memphis and Pedro likely to take up centre mid and the wings, his
only real chance is the no. 10 role behind Rooney, but he’ll face stiff competition from Mata and Januzaj who have shown they can play that role well. Only time will tell this giant’s fate.
Ander Herrera – 26 years old) From Atheltic Bilbao for £28.8 million – June
2014
United’s 5th most expensive signing to date. Herrera was the subject of a rejected bid in summer 2013 by Moyes before eventually moving the following year under van Gaal. At first the tricky Spaniard struggled to nail done first team football and impress van Gaal initially as he adapted to the English playing style. Eventually
though, Herrera became one of our best players last season with his accurate passing from centre midfield and scoring vital goals salvaging much-needed points. However with Carrick, Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin dominating centre mid at the moment, he has been restricted to the bench making sub appearances here and there. Unless this nimble midfielder can rise above his team-mates and impress van Gaal once more, Herrera will have to settle for a bit part role this season.
Total cost – £96.8 million
It could be worse though, these players could have no future at the club at all and join the already large list of names overhauled from the squad by van Gaal since he arrived just over a year ago.
And it seems like Jonny Evans, Victor Valdes and Anders Lindegaard could be the next names to join that list as all three have drastically fallen out of favour with van Gaal and will take a miracle for them to make another first team appearance in a United shirt.
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