What Does the Future Hold for Daley Blind at Manchester United?

Daley Blind's Manchester United future has been a cause for speculation since Jose Mourinho was announced as the club's new manager.

On May 31, Andy Burton of Sky Sports News HQ reported that the Netherlands international and Juan Mata were set to become "high-profile victims" of Mourinho's arrival. 

It made sense. Blind's role in the first team last season was pure Louis van Gaal. Here was a midfielder who had adapted to left-back being recommissioned as a centre-half for his on-the-ball abilities and his ability to read a game.

In Henny Kormelink and Tjeu Seeverens' 1997 book The Coaching Philosophies of Louis van Gaal and the Ajax Coaches (h/t the Guardian), the former Old Trafford manager is quoted as saying:

"

In modern football the two centre-backs have really become the playmakers. The No. 10, behind the strikers, can't be called a playmaker any more because the space in which he operates is too restricted.

Today’s playmakers are to be found in the middle of the back four.

"

Blind was thus adapted to serve that role, playing with the whole pitch in front of him in order to start possession-based attacking phases of play.

This was occasionally effective—think of his through ball against Sunderland just before half-time at Old Trafford last season, the pass that led to United's much-needed opening goal.

Occasionally Blind did a fine job as an out-and-out centre-back, the peak example being his performance against Romelu Lukaku when United beat Everton 1-0 at Old Trafford.

But there were big defensive lapses, too—his dismal displays against Watford at Old Trafford and Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane spring to mind. All in all, with a manager other than Van Gaal—or maybe Pep Guardiola—in charge, Blind is unlikely to be seen as a specialist centre-back. His was a decent season, not a spectacular one.

Rather than being seen as a specialist, Blind is a utility player. This is not great news in terms of his United future, given that on Tuesday—at in his first press conference as United manager—Mourinho said, per the Guardian:

"

I am more a manager that likes specialists rather than multi-functional players because I am clear in my approach. Multi-functional players—you need one or two if you have three central defenders injured.

But, basically, I want specialists.

"

Will Blind be one of those "one or two," or will his future lie elsewhere? The Netherlands international was asked about Mourinho on MUTV on June 3 and replied (h/t the club's official website): "I think he's a coach who's achieved a lot and I’m very excited to work with someone like him. I'm going do my best and work very hard."

He also staked a claim for a spot at centre-back saying:

"

I think I’ve shown I can defend as well as a [natural] central defender in the Premier League.

If you look at our defending statistics at United, we had the most clean sheets and conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League [35, joint with Tottenham]. That’s something we can be proud of. I played almost every game and that gives me a good feeling.

"

The problem is that statistic is pretty misleading in terms of the absolute level of defensive quality the Red Devils showed last season.

Firstly, their home and away records were vastly different. They conceded just nine goals at home, fewer than any other team. Away from home, that number was 26. Ten teams conceded fewer on the road.

Secondly, even their excellent home record was not built on the bedrock of a centre-back partnership in the way it was in 2007/08 when Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were at their best. United scored 47 goals at Old Trafford that season as they conceded just seven.

Last season, they scored just 27. Their defensive record was built on the safety-first approach to possession football, and when that went wrong, they had David De Gea on hand to make the kind of saves no goalkeeper should be expected to pull off.

So Blind's role in the whole affair was perhaps not definitive enough to warrant another season of experimentation. Especially an experiment that feels so very unlike Mourinho. After all, he prefers specialists.

So this leaves Blind with a role in the squad as one of the "one or two" utility players. His great advantage in this area is that he is a capable replacement at centre-back, left-back or in defensive midfield—where his lack of speed makes him unlikely to be first choice for Mourinho but where his talents can serve a function.

It is as yet unclear whether he would be second or third choice at left-back. Much will depend on the development of Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who looks assured and ready for the step up to the first team. But it would seem in keeping with Mourinho's general approach to back the more senior man as first replacement for Luke Shaw.

In defensive midfield, with Mourinho having ruled out a spot for Wayne Rooney, per the Guardian, Blind is probably battling with Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ander Herrera for one of the two slots—maybe even Marouane Fellaini. That is without any midfield additions arriving.

So in all likelihood, Blind will have to contend with a greatly reduced role when compared to the "almost every game" he played last season.

Van Gaal seemed to value Blind as the kind of player who would follow his instructions and buy into the methodology. After all, there was a place in the team custom-made for the son of the Dutchman's former assistant manager, and it was a place that made sense given what the ex-Netherlands boss required.

The paradigm shift that has arrived this summer has surely rendered that redundant. 

Burton wrote of Blind's potential departure: 

"

Blind, signed by Van Gaal for £14m in his first summer transfer window after arriving at Old Trafford, does not fit the physical profile Mourinho looks for in his central defenders, deeming him ... surplus to requirements.

Mourinho has a history of signing tall, fast, strong central defenders, such as Kurt Zouma and Raphael Varane at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively. The physical attributes of both players were seen as key factors in their recruitment, and Mourinho had no qualms in introducing them to the first team at a young age.

"

Perhaps Blind's public charm offensive could combine with a diligent approach to pre-season and convince Mourinho that his utility in three positions outweighs his lack of an obvious spot in the team. If he does, United will get to keep hold of a player whose passing ability and footballing intelligence is of the highest order.

What seems more likely, though, is that Blind moves somewhere that represents a better fit, a team where he can hold down a first-team place and show off his many strengths—a side where his weaknesses will not count against him in the way they surely will at Mourinho's United.

He served an important role for Van Gaal but not one that carries over well to the new regime. The future for Blind may well lie away from Old Trafford.