Why Nicolas Otamendi Would Be Dream Summer Transfer Target for Manchester United

Perhaps it is because we are in the middle of Copa America season, but of all the players currently linked with Manchester United, Nicolas Otamendi seems to fit the bill best.

There is an argument to say that a centre-back, however good, is always likely to be a little shy of a "dream signing." Rarely do defenders capture the imagination that forms such an important component of our dreams in the way that forward players do.

For the discussion of "dream signing" to hold any dramatic tension, though, it has to be a dream within some boundaries of reality. Otherwise almost every club in world football would have the same answer to “who would you most like to sign for your club?”

Left unchecked, the question would draw a response similar to Sir Alex Ferguson's infamous reaction to being asked, after the 2011 Champions League final, which player from the opposition he would most like to sign.

"That is one of the most stupid question I've ever heard in my life," he began before, dripping with sarcasm, adding "Mascherano.”

In 2015, as in 2011, the real dream signing would be Lionel Messi. Failing that, Cristiano Ronaldo, a signing that would be less out of the question for United, presumably, given his past relationship with the Red Devils.

Thomas Muller is also somewhere high up the list of presumably out-of-reach signings who would have the power to make a huge impact at United. Everything seems to have gone quiet on the Gareth Bale front, too—another player who would set pulses racing.

However, in spite of the appeal of the fantasy football signing, the truth is what United probably need more than anything else, especially if David De Gea leaves, is stability in defence.

By the end of the 2014/15 season, some version of it had been found. With the exception of the blip against Everton, United's defence was generally hard to permeate. There are three important reasons, though, why—in spite of that apparent stability—United still need to bring in an absolutely top-quality centre-half.

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The first is the aforementioned De Gea. The number of goals United conceded last season was significantly limited by the presence of the man fans call Spanish Dave. Even if he did stay at the club, expecting him to keep up the level of heroics he managed last season is perhaps unreasonable. United should want to concede fewer chances next time out.

The second is that the defensive stability United maintained was often at the expense of attacking fluidity. 

When fans were calling for 4-4-2, Louis van Gaal replied, per Manchester Evening News, saying, "I know that with 4-4-2 the stats are giving the positive results with 4-4-2 in a diamond. But when you analyse the game then we have twitched our ass on the bench."

What Van Gaal was implying was that he had to adapt his system to be more defensive as a whole. Sir Alex played 4-4-2 for most of his career at United, and one of the reasons he was able to do so was that he found centre-back pairing after centre-back pairing that could defend even when exposed by the system.

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If United were caught up field with both full-backs bombing on and midfielders contributing to attack, he could rely on players like Rio Ferdinand, Gary Pallister, Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic to deal with the threat as often as not.

Van Gaal, however, was forced to compromise United's attacking play in order to compensate for being unable to rely on his defenders in the same way.

Which bring us to the third reason, which is, predictably, the injury records of United's current crop. Taken purely on talent, United could probably manage for another season with Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Jonny Evans, backed up by Paddy McNair and perhaps Tyler Blackett.

However, on the evidence of their United careers so far, injuries seem likely to continue to plague the senior players in that list. Certainly Jones, Evans and Smalling have amassed a good amount of time on the sidelines over the past few years. Rojo did not arrive with an injury-prone reputation, but he has endured an injury-hit season.

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Dream signings have the status they do because they will help a club win trophies, and Otamendi's arrival would mean that, unless he falls foul of the United Centre-Back Injury Curse, the defence could be built around him.

Otamendi would be arriving off the back of a remarkable season. As Guillem Balague said, per Ben Nagle of Sky Sports: 

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Valencia's improvement and challenge for the Champions League qualification is due in no small part to the efforts of this excellent central defender, who in addition to great defence has a habit of weighing in with important goals, namely the winner to end Real Madrid’s 22-match unbeaten run.

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As I pointed out in the brief scouting report on Otamendi here, the Argentinian's statistical output has been remarkable. He topped Valencia's charts for average number of tackles, interceptions and clearances made and aerial duels won per league match.

One or two of those categories would have been impressive enough, but topping them all is a highly noteworthy achievement, indicative of his level of importance.

Hearteningly, in terms of injuries, he also played the most minutes of any outfield player for Los Che.

Balague, speaking to Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey, said "He's a leader, he scores, he is brilliant at set pieces—both defending and attacking." When Bailey asked whether Balague believed Otamendi was "among the very best centre-backs in the game," Balague replied "I've got no doubt about it."

His 80.5 percent pass completion would probably improve under Van Gaal. After all, he averaged 5.3 long balls per game while achieving that. Of United's defenders, only Rojo played that many long passes.

Otamendi would arrive as the senior defender, and he could take a leadership role. Although Smalling has begun to grow into that role, it would still behoove Van Gaal's side to have an established, commanding figure in the back four. Smalling could continue his growth as a leader with less pressure on his shoulders. 

In terms of style, the Valencia man is inclined towards action. There is a predatory-animal quality to his defending—he watches attacks play out, readying himself for the moment in which he can make a telling action. When he does strike, he does so quickly and decisively. It is clear from the way he springs into action that he trusts his own abilities.

His pace means he is able to defend when exposed, too, and his reading of the game allows him to stop counter-attacks, which may beat other defenders.

Essentially, he is a dream signing because he plugs a significant gap in United's squad. A commanding and experienced leader of a centre-back is pretty much the exact person specification for United's most glaring requirement. Otamendi ticks all of those boxes.

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He would enable the midfield to think more about attacking than defending—particularly crucial when Michael Carrick is unavailable. He would also be likely to chip in with some important goals from set pieces. Indeed a partnership of he and Smalling would be a serious threat in dead-ball situations.

Assuming Messi, Ronaldo, Bale and Muller stay where they are, Otamendi should be the man United are going all-out to sign. Away from fantasy, dream signings are those that will improve the team in areas of weakness, and Otamendi would do just that.