World Football Postulant

I won’t go as far as to say Manchester United need Ajax striker Klans-Jan Huntelaar.   This is a team that won the Premiership and the Champions League last year and may not love  anybody (insert Cristiano Ronaldo comment here).  Manchester United could still improve, though.  The most obvious place  is acquiring a traditional number nine - a player who can augment Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez with more size, a target option.  With Alex Ferguson saying that the team will likely make one acquisition, it is a reasonable inference to think he’s looking for that striker.

Today, Huntelaar and club revealed that Manchester United is “very interested” in him.  Were it to happen, it’s a deal that makes sense for all.  United would be acquiring one of the more prolific scorers in Europe who would be traveling a similar route to former star Ruud van Nistelrooy, and while you can say that the van Nistelrooy experience is not applicable to Huntelaar, it is  something that could give Ferguson more comfort in the move.  Having successful integrated one Dutch striker before, Ferguson might feel some familiarity with the transition.  Huntelaar’s reported price tag  of £20 million should also make Manchester United more comfortable with has acquisition than, say, Dimitar Berbatov’s or Karim Benzema’s.

The move makes sense for Huntelaar, too.  United is an incredibly talented team that will give him the support he needs.  He is not a player that is going to make many of his own goals.  Like van Nistelrooy, his greatest strength is his resourcefulness.  His value is in his intelligence and reliability.  He will be able to feed off all the changes United’s talented attack can create.  Should  he have trouble initially doing this, United is a strong enough side to perform will without have to rely on his contribution.  He will get an adjustment period and, if need be, won’t even have to play every match at the point he arrives.

Of course, the exact same things could be said about Real Madrid and Arsenal, two other teams in the conversation.  But whereas those clubs already have target men up front, United could really use Huntelaar.  Judging by the comments the player’s made, Manchester United might not be the only team dreaming of the second coming of van Nistelrooy.

Links

Utd ‘interested’ in Huntelaar

Huntelaar lets United interest out the bag

Huntelaar Favours Old Trafford Move

Huntelaar Contract Stall Bound to Set Off Buzz

Striker Huntelaar says United are chasing him

Huntelaar claims United interest

Huntelaar drops United hint

Klass-Jan Huntelaar is one of the most talked about young strikers in the world thanks to his prolific scoring rate for Ajax in the Eredivisie. Earlier this year he had stated his intention to stay with the club, but today’s news that contract talks have stalled with the club are bound to set supporters of big clubs into raptures. Amongst every big club’s supporters, he has his group of fans that ardently wish the club would get him. Such is the case when you score 34 goals in 39 league games.

His name is going to come up a lot with Arsenal and Manchester United, two teams that have both need (assuming Emmanuel Adebayor leaves), system, and history that would point to such a move. Real Madrid has also been linked, though he would not fit with Ruud van Nistelrooy, as Euro 2008 and Mario van Basten’s lineup decisions hint at.

I am still very much up in the air on Huntelaar. The goal totals can not be ignored, and he has even been able to replicate some of that success at the international level. When I watch him play, however, I never am left with the impression that he will be an immediate impact player after he moves. In fact, I feel very much like I do about van Nistelrooy, who I feel is a great player but an opportunist whose success is more influenced by the play of others than most star players. That still leaves a very good player, one that stands to succeed in a place like Manchester United or Arsenal, but one that also may be slightly overrated.

Commenting on the breakdown in the contract negotiation, Ajax representatives felt Huntelaar is not going anywhere soon.  He still has two years left on his current contract.

Links

Huntelaar rejects new Ajax deal

Ajax will listen to offers for Huntelaar

Huntelaar’s future in doubt as Ajax talks stall

United and Arsenal on alert and Ajax striker Huntelaar’s contract talks stall