£20m ‘slippery snake’ that could give Man Utd what they hoped Pogba would do

In the Chinese zodiac, Ryan Gravenberch was months away from being born in the Year of the Snake, but that doesn’t stop the midfielder from describing himself as such.

The 21-year-old has been linked with Manchester United amid his early season troubles. Old Trafford’s early-season optimism waned somewhat thanks to a pair of poor performances to kick off the new campaign.

The Reds got away with it on the opening night, beating Wolves 1-0 when they were second, but their away woes from last season continued with a 2-0 loss at Tottenham Saturday despite an encouraging first half. It raised more questions than answers for Erik ten Hag, perhaps the most relevant being midfield.

Mason Mount was the first summer signing, a player the United boss was determined to sign and delighted to capture. He has the attributes to fit into the Reds system, but early signs of the England international playing in a forward midfield role alongside Bruno Fernandes with Casemiro sitting out have been concerning. It’s no surprise to see United’s links with midfielders intensify.

ALSO READ: Ten Hag Confirmed Gravenberch’s Top Position Amid Man United Transfer Interest

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And so Gravenberch’s name is back on United’s list, with the Bayern Munich midfielder having struggled for minutes in his first season in Bavaria. He was an unused sub in their season opener and has also been linked with Liverpool. The German giants value him at around £22million, while a loan exit has also been considered given the Dutch international only arrived in the Bundesliga from Ajax 12 months ago.

And the lanky 6ft midfielder compared himself to former Red Paul Pogba, while offering his animalistic comparison. In an interview with Voetbal Primeur, he said: “I’m kind of a snake. Long, quite narrow and I slip everywhere. I can learn a lot from Paul Pogba, he’s also a bit of a snake.”

Pogba has shown his world-class ability at United in the blink of an eye and Gravenberch is of a similar build and can offer the same drive from the middle of the park as the Frenchman. He could provide United with the consistent overall threat that Pogba failed to do should the youngster move to Old Trafford.

It’s easy to make the jump with United given that Gravenberch worked with Ten Hag in the Dutch capital while his abilities as a box-to-box player would offer the Reds something they currently lack. He offers a left side option and can filter a back four as well as hold possession and advance.

He’s comfortable on the ball and positionally smart, vital skills to have in the Premier League. And while he may not provide the goal threat of some of his contemporaries, he could offer a combinatorial key for United, particularly if the Reds want to play on the counter away from home.

At 15, shortly before becoming Ajax’s youngest ever debutant – no small feat considering the caliber of player produced by the Amsterdam side – he was wanted by PSG but opted to stay put, putting his football first.

“He could go anywhere,” his father, Ryan senior, reportedly said at the time. “I saw all the clubs [linked]. Several million euros arrived, but we discussed it quietly at home. Then we sat down as a family, I explained the situation and finally Ryan gave his opinion. He always said, ‘I’m good at Ajax’.”

The move to a European giant was inevitable and came 12 months ago, four years after his senior arc. But it hasn’t been easy at Bayern and regular starting opportunities look slim again this season under Thomas Tuchel.

“I just want to play more, preferably at Bayern Munich, if not at a club where I play 100 per cent,” he said earlier this year. “That’s where my preference is, because I don’t want to have another year like the one I’ve had now. Such a season is good. I learned a lot, but I want to play football .”

He added, speaking to Voetbal International: “Training and playing at the highest level for a year is beautiful and instructive, even if it is mostly training. It has to change next season, I really want to play week after week… We are just waiting to see what happens. But it is clear that this role does not correspond to my expectations.

His expectations are to play, United’s expectations are to compete at the top domestically and abroad. Given the Reds’ early-season problems, he could come up with a clever solution.

To finish where we started – with the Chinese calendar – the style of Gravenberch reflects that of the characteristics of his sign (the horse) considered active and energetic. United could do just that.