Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United: Does it add up?

Wesley Sneijder

Despite some seriously confusing signals it does seem as though Wesley Sneijder will go to Old Trafford and will be Sir Alex’s last piece to his 2011/12 Manchester United puzzle. The bookmakers have put very low odds on the Dutchman moving to Manchester despite protestations otherwise from both sides, so they probably know something that we don’t.

And also, a couple of days ago my son told me of a story on the internet about Federico Macheda’s very smart move of welcoming Sneijder on Twitter.

And my cousin Makhaola keeps telling me Sneijder will move to the “Red Devils” for a cost of 40 million Euros, and will be the last gap filled after the arrivals of the hugely promising trio of David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young... blah, blah.

The news has got Makhaola and all United fans I know super excited, some are even speaking of a Treble if the man Wesley arrives.

But sitting here in a very cold Mokhotlong I can’t help but think Sneijder would not be a good signing at all. In fact, after one or two beverages, I’d go as far as to say it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

After United lost to Barcelona in that 3-1 clinic it was totally clear, as had it been at points through the season, that United need to keep the ball the better. They need a player that can hold the ball from deep and instigate moves from deep, like Paul Scholes could but really wasn’t given the chance to in his last season.

Sneijder is simply not this player, well not anymore anyway.

When he started off at Ajax he was a sort of midfield general. But this is not Sneijder anymore. He has been transformed into an out-and-out attacking midfielder. Maybe it’s like Kaka. He was a classic number 10 who could drop deep  when needed but Carlo Ancelotti – successfully I might add – turned Kaka into an attacking machine that almost singlehandedly won AC Milan the Champions League in 2007. Kaka is now a pure second striker. That’s why it remains hard to see how he will succeed at Real Madrid.

Anyway, back to Sneijder.

While the Dutchman is no doubt a world-class player it’s difficult to see where he would fit into United’s tactics. Sneijder has become most effective playing in advance of two defensive midfielders, i.e. Cambiasso and Zanetti in Inter’s 2010 Champions League win, and Van Bommel and De Jong at last year’s World Cup. In that system Sneijder is free of defensive duties and freely instigates in the final third behind a lone striker.

Problem is that’s where Wayne Rooney plays.

Ok fine. So then Sneijder will play in a two-man central midfield, alongside Fletcher or Carrick… but the problem is that Sneijder really can’t, or lets say he’s not happiest, when he’s playing deeper in midfield. It’s been said this was in fact one of the main reasons Wesley left Real Madrid. He went to Inter and he thrived as a pure number 10 behind Milito.

So you can buy Sneijder to put him in the heart of midfield, but then he won’t be at his happiest – which is vital to get the best out of any player.

If you put Sneijder where he’s most comfortable then it would mean moving Rooney upfront when was probably the best player in Europe in the last two months of the season, floating and doing what he loves, everything.

And then what would that mean for Chicharito?

The man United really need is someone like Luka Modric, I keep telling Makhaola this, and it’s been clear for a while. United a quarterback who will dictate play, feed the front players and hold some sort of midfield shape something that was completely absent in the Champions League final against Barca. He’s also more patient in possession.

And just as Lionel Messi is the man at Barca so is Rooney at Manchester United. The team should be built to get the best out of him; Rooney really doesn’t need any competition or uncertainty over what he’s supposed to do.

Funnily enough, the perfect player I think for United could be Cesc Fabregas. Some folks have recently said Sir Fabregas can’t play in a midfield two... but that’s where he played in 2007/08 alongside Mathieu Flamini in Arsenal’s greatest season since those Invincible guys. Fabregas to United won’t happen but this is midfielder United need, one that will do what Xavi does for Barcelona, what Modric does for Spurs… what Xabi Alonso used to do for Liverpool.

Signing Sneijder would almost inevitably mean breaking up this promising Rooney-Hernandez partnership and moving Rooney from his best position.

In many ways it’s like the Neymar situation. Madrid don’t really need him. Cristiano Ronaldo already occupies the left-hand side and is a luxury player defensively. It’s hard to believe any trophy-winning team can have two luxury players in the starting XI, let alone a team that is coached by Jose Mourinho. What Madrid need is a reliable goal-scorer, perhaps like the young man Aguero.

But having said all this, it is easy to talk from the armchair… If Sneijder joins United he would be playing for a top-class team and a top-class manager. Sir Alex definitely knows what his plan is, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Malome Thabiso

Malingoaneng, Mokhotlong

Lesotho