Those who thought Marco Reus' decision to sign a new contract with Borussia Dortmund would halt rumours of his departure, look away now.
While it's true the German international's previous buyout clause of £20 million has been eliminated, reported by Alex Richards of the Mirror, speculation suggests Manchester United haven't been deterred. In fact, Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star indicates the Red Devils "could land the German international if they stump up £50 million."
Whether or not Louis van Gaal wishes to drop such a sum on the player remains to be seen. The Dutchman has proven wary of signing consistently injured stars this season—Kevin Strootman and Arturo Vidal among them—so it's debateable whether he would spend so heavily on Reus, who has a history of recent problems.
WhoScored.com provided a snapshot of the player in question:
The Dortmund star has managed just 14 starts across all competitions this season, per WhoScored, but recently returned from an ankle ligament injury. He has started all three of BVB's matches after the winter break, scoring in the recent 3-0 win over Freiburg. With Dortmund currently situated in the relegation play-off zone, his presence will be key to ensuring no historic failure takes place.
Reus is exactly the type of player United need. Angel Di Maria is currently the only regular starter who possesses the pace to frighten opposition defenders. Neither Robin van Persie nor Radamel Falcao are willing to make runs beyond the backline, with both continuing to look isolated as they drop to get involved with play.
This resulted in yet another disappointing night for both during United's 3-1 win over Burnley on Wednesday, despite Van Persie scoring a penalty, per Squawka:
Youngster James Wilson is capable of stretching the opposition with his speed, but he continues to play a bit-part role. Di Maria is perhaps feeling the pressure of holding the ball for United. He looks to beat multiple players often to drive the side forward, but this results in him being quickly closed down.
The Argentinian has completed an average of 2.1 dribbles per game this season, per WhoScored, being dispossessed 1.5 times each match. These numbers are more successful than he ever was at Real Madrid, but the emphasis on him thrusting the team forward has the capacity to frustrate. Di Maria's pass accuracy of 78.6 percent is currently lacking in comparison to last year.
Reus' arrival would certainly remove some of the pressure to constantly deliver. B/R UK's Sam Tighe recently discussed the player's value:
As noted by Dortmund sporting manager Michael Zorc, it looks as if Reus wishes to remain with his local club no matter what:
We've seen expensive players sign contracts and move quickly in the past—including Mario Gotze and Luis Suarez—so it would be foolish to rule out the possibility of Reus departing. It's also optimistic to suggest Dortmund would sell if hefty cash was thrown their way, particularly in the wake of an extremely disappointing season.
Reus rumours will run and run, which ironically, is exactly what United need on the pitch.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1uIfACK
via IFTTT February 12, 2015 at 12:30AM
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