Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Gerard Pique and Marouane Fellaini

Manchester United’s search for defensive reinforcements could see them pursue a familiar face, with reports suggesting that Gerard Pique could be looking for a move away from Barcelona.

According to Ed Malyon of the Mirror, the former Red Devil is set to hold showdown talks with Nou Camp officials, as his relationship with manager Luis Enrique is supposedly close to its breaking point. Malyon goes on to suggest that the new boss would have no qualms if the central defender was go in search of pastures new.

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Pique was left out of the Barcelona side for their 2-1 win over Almeria, and his status as a guaranteed starter for Blaugrana seems to have been downgraded under the tutelage of the new manager.

Indeed, in an embarrassing incident on the sidelines against Almeria, the La Masia graduate was told to warm up by Enrique, even though Barcelona had made all three of their permitted substitutions, per 101 Great Goals:

Nonetheless, he remains a quality operator and a player who a host of European football’s elite names would be interested in should be become available for transfer. Here’s a brief look at why the 27-year-old is regarded as one of the game’s finest defenders:

Louis van Gaal has found himself in almost embarrassingly short supply of defenders in recent weeks, and if he could convince Pique to return to Manchester for a second spell at Old Trafford, it’d be a major coup for the Dutchman. 

Indeed, ESPN FC writer Dermot Corrigan thinks that Pique's stock is on the decline at the Nou Camp:

Pique is an assured and combative defender, and he's a player who’d bring a composed presence to a United back four that’s looked especially ropey in the early parts of the season. He’s a great communicator on the pitch too and someone who has won a plethora of the game’s biggest honours during his time at both United and Barcelona.

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But with Barcelona banned from conducting any incoming transfers until January 2016, it’d be a big error on their part to let a player of Pique’s calibre walk out the door. At his peal he remains Barcelona’s best defender and someone who is a perfect stylistic fit for the way in which the Catalonian outfit plays the game.

In the meantime, United will have to hope some of their other players can step up to the mark. And one example they could follow is Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian has performed admirably in recent matches and has forced himself into Van Gaal’s starting XI for the Red Devils' most recent clashes.

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His performances have been a far cry from the ponderous displays he showcased last season, but when the Belgian international was asked if he thought that he’d been made a scapegoat during his debut season in Manchester, he answered candidly, per David Anderson of the Mirror:

"

Yes, a little bit. That’s a difficult question to answer.

Last season was a difficult one for me but I didn’t lose faith in myself. In football you have to be strong in the head.

The mentality is important and I do have this quality so I can keep going. My family helped me through it.

"

The rangy Belgian has brought a much-needed physicality to United’s central midfield, and it’s clearly an attribute that Van Gaal values. But he’s a player who has understated technical ability too; not only is he an incisive passer of the ball, but there is no player better in world football at bringing the ball down on his chest.

Football artist Stanley Chow paid Fellaini a tribute of sorts during United’s recent home game against Crystal Palace:

According to Anderson’s piece, Van Gaal rejected a loan move from Napoli for the 26-year-old, and Fellaini has rewarded him with some hard work and consequentially some bustling displays in the heart of the Red Devils' midfield. A lot of players would have cut their losses in the former Everton man’s situation, so he deserves a measure of credit for sticking around and fighting for his place with admirable distinction.

Below, Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News has a look at factors that have expedited Fellaini's recent resurgence:

Whether he has the requisite quality to forge a long-term future at United remains to be seen, but it seems that while David Moyes looked to use the £28 million man as a holding midfielder, Van Gaal is utilising the Belgian's unique somatotype higher up the pitch. In the games in which Fellaini has featured so far, it’s a ploy that seems to be working.