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Manchester United have had a productive summer, where they have filled numerous gaps in their squad.
Nonetheless, Ruben Amorim’s rebuilding job is still ongoing and they will certainly need future additions.
United’s centre back need
Owing to the Portuguese’s preference to play with a back three, United need more quality centre back options than most teams. Therefore, despite already possessing the talents of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, another centre back will soon be on the agenda.
Ayden Heaven is incredibly talented and highly rated but his and Tyler Fredricson’s showing in the League Cup defeat to Grimsby Town shows that both players need more time to develop out of the spotlight.
What’s more, Harry Maguire is entering the final year of his contract at the club and will likely leave or take on a reduced role in the squad should he pen a new deal.
Luckily, Amorim has already worked with the perfect replacement.
The perfect candidate
The Belgian centre back, Zeno Debast, was signed by Amorim last summer for Sporting CP after an impressive stint for Anderlecht in his homeland.
He played 48 matches in all competitions last season, scoring two goals in the process.
Despite his tender age of just 21-years-old, this is actually his sixth season in and around a senior team and his fourth as a clear starter.
He has also won 20 caps for the Belgium national team and it certainly appears he will enjoy a long international career with De Rode Duivels.
Recently, there have been rumours that United may be preparing to accelerate their interest in the young starlet and they would be wise to pursue this course of action.
Modern defender
What makes Debast stand out is that he appears to possess all the attributes one would want in a modern day defender.
The Belgian has been described as “Sporting’s new colossus in central defence” and it’s not hard to see why.
Debast is “a technically gifted defender. His passing range is exceptional, with the ability to switch play accurately or play incisive through balls. His ball-carrying ability is another standout attribute, allowing him to progress the ball out from the back with composure.”
It will probably come as no surprise that the Belgian is also quite comfortable in a defensive midfield role.
According to data for this season, Debast is in the 87th percentile for passes completed and 89th for progressive passes made amongst defenders in Europe.´
There is no doubt that the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad or Benjamin Sesko would salivate at getting onto the end of one of the Belgian’s pinpoint long passes behind the opposition defence.
A hypothetical back three of Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez and De Bast would certainly make for an incredibly skilled backline.
Physically imposing
Debast has much more than pretty passes in his locker though. The Belgian is a hard-nosed defender who loves to stop attackers in their tracks.
The 21-year-old has been described as “a physical specimen. Standing at 1.88m, he dominates the air, winning aerial duels with ease. His strength is evident in his ability to hold off opponents and win possession in one-on-one battles, either wide or centrally.”
Therefore, his ability to dominate attackers physically would be a vital ingredient for his future success in the Premier League.
What’s more, his ability to read the game has also been highly praised. He has been categorised as “exceptional” in this department and comes across as an old head on young shoulders.
Age profile
At 21-years-old, Debast fits Ineos’ preferred recruitment style like a glove.
The club’s owners have insisted upon bringing in young talent who can grow at the club and Debast is the perfect example of this.
What’s more, with Leny Yoro at 19-years-old, Ayden Heaven at 18, he fits their timeline of progression perfectly.
Comfort in back three and with Amorim
Due to Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, it is not always a given that even highly talented players will thrive in his rather specific system.
Luckily, Debast was signed specifically for a role in a 3-4-3 by Amorim and prospered before the Portuguese coach left for Old Trafford last Autumn.
He clearly has a fond memory of his time with the 40-year-old as he claimed shortly after he left for United, “Ruben is a fantastic coach. I only worked with him for three months and I would have liked him to stay, but I’m happy because he deserves it.”
Considering all these factors, it is clear who Amorim and the club must target to help construct one of the most exciting young defences in Europe.
Featured image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
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