Former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick believes Paul Pogba will make the long-term conversion to a left-sided midfield role, amid reports that the Red Devils are interested in Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez.
The Spain international has been a standout performer for Atletico Madrid for many years, but he appears to have fallen out of favor with Diego Simeone in recent times and is one of the most sought-after players on the market this summer.
ESPN and others have linked Manchester United with Saul, and Chadwick is a fan of the traits he may add to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad.
Despite being a versatile talent capable of playing a variety of positions, Saul is most effective in central midfield, where he appears to be an upgrade over the likes of Nemanja Matic and Fred, rather than a danger to Pogba's spot in the club.
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Pogba has recently adapted well to playing out wide, and Chadwick believes he will be able to stay there now that he has made it his own.
“Pogba has essentially made that left-wing position his own. He plays it extremely well, he comes in with the freedom to wander and find those pockets inside,” Chadwick told CaughtOffside.
“It doesn't appear that Ole will play him as one of the two central defenders, and there is chatter about Saul joining from Atletico Madrid.
“Pogba appears to be at ease with that; he will not play in the number 10 position because Bruno Fernandes will play every game there. They've worked well together, and it appears to be a good small position for him.
“When he initially started playing there last season, I wasn't optimistic since he's not much of a runner, but he's made that job his own, and you can't argue with the stats he's had this season.”
Chadwick is a fan of Saul, and he admits that midfield has been a source of concern at Old Trafford for some time, even though it came to the forefront more recently after a dismal performance away to Southampton.
“Saul is a tremendously brilliant player, so it's encouraging to see that United are interested in him,” Chadwick added. “It would be another top talent to add to the group and improve it. It would be a terrific signing to get through the door after a fantastic start against Leeds and perhaps a poor performance against Southampton.
“He's not a Sancho or a Varane, but he's a gifted footballer who would give depth to the squad.”
“I don't think it's simply because of the Southampton game; it's an area of the team that has received a lot of criticism,” he continued. Many people have pointed out that region as a potential weakness.
“I believe that was the first time in a long time that we played Fred and Matic together. McTominay's energy may have made a difference; obviously, Matic has been a wonderful player over the years, but he's not as progressive with his passing and isn't as quick to run forward as McTominay.
“McTominay, Fred, and Matic are all excellent players, but they are unlikely to be considered as the type of center midfielders capable of winning the Premier League. Perhaps this is the time when the proper player becomes available, and hopefully, we can bring him in within the next week or so.”
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