Manchester United's Aging Midfield Needs Yet Another Overhaul

Michael Carrick's contract is drawing to a close, and Bastian Schweinsteiger's first season at Manchester United has been pretty underwhelming.

United are once again left with serious issues to address in the heart of their midfield.

There is the possibility they could extend Carrick's contract, of course, though it might not be in either party's best interest to do so. Andy Hunter of the Guardian reported that Everton are one of "several Premier League clubs" who are interested in Carrick's service.

There is some validity to the side of the argument which suggests United should keep him on.

They are short of winning experience—much of the core of the squad who experienced the highs under Sir Alex Ferguson have moved on. The 34-year-old is the squad's vice-captain and thus presumably commands a leadership role in the dressing room.

Then there is his on-pitch contribution. Used in the right way—which at this point should be sparingly—having him around could be useful. He could be brought into games to help United retain possession when they need to kill off an opponent over whom they have a comfortable lead, for example.

What he should no longer have, though, is the kind of senior midfield position which has been his own since Paul Scholes retired.

Even at the height of his powers, Carrick had numerous detractors who would cite his lack of physicality or overly safe approach to ball retention.

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Now he has essentially become the player his detractors always said he was. He still has an excellent pass in him, but his standout performances are fewer and further between.

Against Everton, for example, he was twice dispossessed by the Toffees' early pressing.

He came into the game a little more from then on out, making five interceptions during the latter part of the first half, but it has always been possible to rattle Carrick with pressing, and his increasing years have made that more obvious.

As for Schweinsteiger, there was a point when it looked like his return would be something of a tonic for the end of United's season. 

However, he has since picked up another long-term injury. Manager Louis van Gaal told MUTV (h/t the club's website), "I don't think Schweinsteiger shall play this season—I think, next season, he is prepared."

The evidence of this season is that the Germany international will be best used as a squad player rather than a guaranteed starter. After all, the 31-year-old has missed a good chunk of his initial campaign in England through injury, and when he has played, his contributions have been mixed.

On the one hand, his leadership and drive proved crucial—witness his equalising goal against Leicester City and his contribution to United's late winner against Watford. On the other hand, his lacklustre performance away at Wolfsburg prompted Van Gaal to note, per Agence France-Press (h/t Yahoo Sports), "I can't say he was the Bastian Schweinsteiger I saw during my Bayern Munich days."

Thus having brought in three central midfielders in the last two seasons—Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin completing the trio—United still find themselves in need of a midfield revamp.

Indeed, especially if Carrick leaves, the position is once again something of a priority for the summer transfer window.

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Herrera and Schneiderlin might just be good enough to be the first-choice central two, but this season has not conclusively proved that.

Of course, the club could once again look to their youth ranks to help fill the gap, as they have done so often this summer. Indeed, the solution may lie in a player who has already broken through, given that Timothy Fosu-Mensah has shown at the youth level that he could be a capable midfielder.

However, even with Fosu-Mensah in the squad, and much to the chagrin of those who thought this problem had finally been rectified, United's central midfield once again requires some pretty urgent attention.

Advanced data courtesy of WhoScored.com.