Manchester United have had a busy and star-studded summer that could soon look even better, with the long-rumored deal to bring Pedro in from Barcelona looking like it's nearing completion. That kind of summer comes with a cost, though – bring in enough new high-quality players, and some of the ones you already had may have to leave.
Sunderland set to rescue Adnan Januzaj from Manchester United?
The Belgian starlet doesn’t seem to have a place at Old Trafford this season, and Sunderland look eager to give him an escape route.
Stu Forster/Getty Images
That appears to be the case for Adnan Januzaj, who would seem to be on the outs at Old Trafford should Pedro arrive. The young Belgian once looked like a rising star at Manchester United, but since Louis van Gaal took over, he's found playing time hard to come by, often struggling in limited minutes as a substitute. Pedro's presence would likely freeze out his role altogether when added to United's other big attacking purchase in Memphis Depay, leaving Januzaj looking for a new team – a problem that Sunderland could be more than happy to help him out with.
The current talk has Black Cats boss Dick Advocaat eager to take Januzaj in on loan for the upcoming season, potentially with an eye at a future purchase as well. Sunderland could definitely use Januzaj’s attacking talents, needing a boost not just in numbers in attack, but in creative talent as well. The 20-year-old would easily be a regular for a side that battled against relegation last season, and on paper would make their attack much more dangerous.
Why it makes sense
Sunderland desperately need to get better all over the pitch, and they’ve already helped themselves out in defense and midfield. Their attack has gone largely unaided, though, making Januzaj and his significant talents a welcome addition.
The Belgian is quick and tricky with the ball at his feet, and would add a dimension to the Wearsiders’ attack that they currently lack. Januzaj also has a good passing eye and can pop up almost anywhere in the box to get a shot off from a pullback from a teammate or a loose ball. That kind of opportunism, coupled with the versatility to play several positions and roles in attack, adds a lot of value to a Sunderland attack that doesn’t look incredibly threatening right now.
As for United’s role in this, they’d be only too happy to let Januzaj head out on loan for the season. They know that despite his struggles last season, he’s one of the most talented players to come through their academy in a long time. In order to realize his significant potential, though, Januzaj needs as much playing time at a high level as he can get, and that’s going to be hard to come by at Old Trafford this season. Sunderland offer him a chance to be a virtually locked-on starter, and that’s an attractive proposition for Manchester and Januzaj alike right now.
Why it doesn’t make sense
While Januzaj has almost limitless promise in terms of what he’s actually accomplished as a footballer in his career, there’s not much to go on. His greatest success came as a teenager two years ago, when since-ousted United manager David Moyes relied on him as an attacking spark -- and even then he scored just four goals and bagged only four assists in the league. When his minutes got cut in half by van Gaal last season, Januzaj seemed to lose all end product in the final third, failing to get on the scoresheet at all and not earning a single assist.
While Sunderland certainly appreciate the potential of Januzaj, they need more certainty from a new signing in attack, given their struggles up front last season and desire to stay out of the relegation race this year. Certainty is not something that Januzaj offers right now, leaving one wondering if he’s really the right player for them to pursue.
Likelihood it happens
No matter what, we’ll have to wait for Manchester United to sign Pedro before this could happen. That potentially gives a fair bit of time for this move to solidify or evaporate, especially with other teams rumored to be interested, including Everton. Even with rival interest, though, Sunderland stand a solid chance of making this happen if they decide to push on, putting the chances of this move happening at 6/10.
This is a post from our transfer rumors section. For news, analysis and more, check out the main SB Nation Soccer page.
See More:
