After the wretched injury fortunes that plagued Manchester United's 2023/24 campaign, fans will have hoped that Erik ten Hag can put such issues to bed ahead of an exciting new era.
Bleakly, however, such misfortune seems to have seeped into the Dutchman's pre-season preparations, with star striker Rasmus Hojlund and £59m summer signing Leny Yoro injured in a friendly against Arsenal this week.
The former, who scored ten Premier League goals last season after joining from Atalanta for £72m, is out for six weeks, meaning he will likely miss the opening four fixtures of the term.
The 18-year-old Yoro however, has been sidelined with greater severity, suffering an ankle blow that is set to rule him out for three months, now slated to make his competitive debut at the end of October.
United have issues to solve in midfield, but Yoro's luckless fortunes appear to have accelerated talks for another centre-back…
Man United transfer news
According to Corriere dello Sport – as reported earlier this week – Man United are interested in signing Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer, who has a €66m (£56m) release clause and has also caught Liverpool's eye.
The Red Devils are locked in talks with Bayern Munich as they push to sign Matthijs De Ligt (alongside right-back Noussair Mazraoui), but the Brazilian could be the perfect alternative.
Given that his release clause expires at the end of next week, United will need to act quickly if they are to complete a deal, though with the pace things are moving at Old Trafford, this will probably be the case.
What Gleison Bremer would bring to Man United
Described as a "monster" of a centre-back by analyst Ben Mattinson, Bremer has been the veritable lifeforce of Juventus' rearguard since signing from Turin rivals Torino in 2022, completing a £35m transfer in July 2022.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 2 star ranks among the top 20% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 16% for aerial battles won per 90, emphasising his prowess in headed situations.
The 27-year-old has also proved to be ever-present, starting 36 Serie A matches last term, missing one fixture due to a yellow card suspension and another as he sat on the bench on the final day of the term.
The same cannot be said for De Ligt, with the Netherlands international missing the lion's share of last season due to injuries and starting only 16 matches in the German Bundesliga.
Now two years on from his £68m signing from Juventus – where Bremer is effectively his direct replacement – United have a choice to make in moving for one or the other, and while age is on De Ligt's side, Bremer is athletically robust and no doubt capable of starring for many years to come at the Theatre of Dreams.
Matches (starts)
36 (36)
31 (27)
Goals
3
3
Assists
0
1
Clean sheets
15
7
Pass completion
86%
91%
Ball recoveries*
5.4
4.7
Tackles made*
1.6
1.0
Clearances made*
4.0
2.6
Total duels won*
5.2 (58%)
4.7 (59%)
De Ligt is the real deal, no doubting it, but Bremer is actually performing at a superior rate – even when comparing the Dutchman's 2022/23 metrics against the Brazil internationals in Italy last year (it wouldn't be fair to collate against De Ligt's stats over the past year given his injuries).
The Juve titan might not be quite as crisp with his passing but he makes up for it with elite athleticism and a far more active defensive approach, getting stuck in and striking fear into the hearts of his opponents.
And in any case, Juventus were uncharacteristically devoid of the ball in the league last year, ranking 12th in the division for average amount of possession retained throughout (48.5%).
After all, he's received high praise indeed over in Italy, with Juventus legend Sergio Brio gushing over his defensive tools: "I really like Bremer. He’s an exceptional player with great timing and positioning on the pitch. The Brazilian is the best defender in Serie A today. I’m certain of it."
De Ligt has his strengths and there's little question that the arrival of either defender would see an improvement to United's backline, but INEOS are in a position where they must show the right ambition to pull the club from the dregs where it has languished over the past interminable years and rise to a position of power at the summit of the European game.
In Bremer, Ten Hag would find a steely new star at the back to ensure that Yoro's bleak start to life in England does not prove to be detrimental to the targetted resurgence. The teenage prodigy has all the talent in the world but his injury-ruined start is a sharp reminder from the get-go that he must be eased into the rigours of Premier League football.
Bremer would slot right in, having even been hailed for his "world-class" qualities by CBS Sports commentator Matteo Bonetti, and while De Ligt is the more prominent player, Bremer might actually boast the skillset to make the more significant difference in Man United's defence.
Given that United have already seen a bid for De Ligt rejected, it might be wise to simply move ahead with Bremer and enforce the backline with a player capable of guiding the club to glory.
Constant contact: Man Utd chase "insane" £42m star to solve Yoro problem
The incredible international would be an excellent signing.
1 ByJack Salveson HolmesAug 2, 2024