Manchester United Transfer News: United Must Beat Arsenal to William Carvalho

Manchester United are already plotting their January transfer business, with talks set for Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho. The Red Devils must beat Arsenal to the talented defensive midfielder in the next transfer window.

That process has already begun, with talks expected between the club and Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho, per Daily Express writer Ben Jefferson:

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SPORTING LISBON president Bruno de Carvalho will take the opportunity of a trip to Manchester to try and generate interest in William Carvalho.

The Sporting supremo is speaking at the Soccerex Global Conference on the topic of 'How to run a successful club'.

Carvalho was the subject of deadline day bids from both Arsenal and Manchester United after impressing during the World Cup in Brazil.

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Both teams certainly have a need for a midfield player possessing Carvalho's robust qualities. He is a true powerhouse in the middle, capable of breaking up play as well as dictating it.

If Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal remains keen, he could sign Carvalho to complete his revamp of United's midfield. Carvalho would be his destroyer, a player with the destructive instincts to complement the flair and guile of new arrivals Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria.

More than just adding rugged tackling, Carvalho would bring a calm assurance in possession. He would act as a steadying influence at the base of midfield, giving Herrera and Di Maria the freedom to roam forward.

Van Gaal has currently tabbed Netherlands international Daley Blind for that role after signing the ex-Ajax man for £14 million, per ManUtd.com.

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Van Gaal is keen to try his countryman in midfield, per Mark Ogden of The Telegraph. Blind can certainly play there; in fact, he has thrived there in recent seasons for Ajax, according to Mirror writer Elko Born:

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Having started out as a left-back, Blind truly rose to prominence at Ajax as a defensively minded, central midfielder. Playing in that position, he even won the Dutch Player of the Year award after the 2013-14 season.

Right until the very last match he played for Ajax, Blind was the main man in Ajax’s midfield, breaking up play and distributing the ball intelligently to quickly set up new attacks for his team.

As a defensive midfielder, Blind is a more a Sergio Busquets than a Claude Makelele: He relies on his tactical awareness and intelligence, rather than his strength.

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Yet while Blind certainly has a lot to offer as an anchor man in front of a defence, he may be best suited to actually being a member of United's back line. He can play at wing-back and even drop to centre-back if needed.

That latter attribute could be essential after Phil Jones suffered a hamstring injury on England duty, per Jamie Jackson of The Guardian. The United defence is still a work in progress, and a player like Blind, who knows Van Gaal's tactical structures well, could be invaluable at the back.

Van Gaal needs a natural, full-time defensive-minded midfielder. Whether he sees as Carvalho as that player remains to be seen.

The Old Trafford chief is apparently already plotting a January move for AS Roma's Dutch international Kevin Strootman, according to Mirror reporter David McDonnell:

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United boss Louis van Gaal is a huge admirer of Strootman but decided against making a move for him this summer as the Roma midfielder is only just back from a long-term knee injury.

But Van Gaal is ready to make a £25million swoop for Strootman in the new year and the Holland international – who missed the World Cup – is doing all he can to ready himself for the move.

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However, Carvalho is younger and not coming off such a troubling injury. If Van Gaal is willing to spend £25 million on Strootman, then he should consider Carvalho the better investment.

Arsenal tried an offer of €16 million plus young forward Joel Campbell on deadline day, per Portuguese newspaper A Bola (h/t 101 Great Goals). That was promptly rebuffed by a club looking for straight cash.

Van Gaal should use United's ample funds to trump the Gunners this winter and sign a player capable of becoming United's long-term talisman in the middle.