da bet esporte： It has been revealed that Manchester United are reportedly considering the signing of Brede Hangeland from Fulham this January.
da bet sport： Hangeland would be available for a free transfer next summer when his contract at Craven Cottage expires, but Sir Alex Ferguson may want to beat the last-minute scramble for his signature and pay a small fee for his services in January.
Would the Norwegian represent a good signing for Ferguson’s side, considering their defensive issues at the start of the season?
The 31-year-old has proved that he is a centre-back of tremendous quality since arriving at Fulham from FC Copenhagen in 2008, with his towering height and no-nonsense attitude being comparable to Nemanja Vidic.
At this present moment in time, United are desperately struggling with defensive injuries; and Ferguson only has Johnny Evans and Rio Ferdinand as his two remaining fit centre-halves, after Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Vidic were all ruled out of action.
This has had an evident detrimental effect on the team, as the Red Devils have conceded eleven goals in ten matches; and kept just three clean sheets so far this season in all competitions.
These are worrying statistics for Ferguson to reflect over, so the need for a player like Hangeland is there to see.
The factors which could hold United back from making a move, concern the fact that the Norwegian is 31-years-old and goes against the club’s transfer policy of buying players for the future; as well as it potentially halting the progress of promising youngsters such as Michael Keane and Scott Wooton from breaking into the first-team.
In addition, once the defensive crisis eases United could have six available central defenders, including the prospective signing of Hangeland.
Surely Ferguson would see this as too many defenders on the books and leads to doubts as to whether he would make such an impulsive move in January.
But injuries in defensive positions is nothing new at Old Trafford; and there are fears that Vidic is no longer the imposing figure he once was before damaging cruciate knee ligaments last December.
Vidic will have one year left on his contract at the end of this season, with reports linking him with moves to either Barcelona or Juventus; and Ferguson could see this as his best chance to buy a cheap replacement for the Serbian, if he shares these fears.
If a player like Vidic decides to leave the club, then the signing of Hangeland justifies its logic. However, if there are no departures, then it would be hard to envisage the arrival of the Norwegian, especially as key defenders gradually return to fitness and if players like Vidic return to the peak of their powers.