With the INEOS era now in full swing at Manchester United, the immediate task for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co appears to be righting the wrongs of over a decade of scattergun recruitment at the club, having far too often spent erratically in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Arguably, there has been just one unequivocal success story of the last ten years or so on the transfer front – Bruno Fernandes – with the former Sporting CP man having swiftly solidified his place as the club's talisman, chalking up 79 goals and 66 assists in just 233 games for the club in all competitions.
With just two games missed through injury across that four-and-a-half-year spell – both of which came back in May – the Portuguese genius has been United's 'Mr Reliable' for a significant period now, often shouldering the creative, attacking burden on his own at times.
That reliance on the 29-year-old has perhaps not always been a healthy one, however, with the club now eyeing a potential rival or competitor who can keep Fernandes on his toes…
Latest on Man Utd's search for a midfielder
According to Spanish newspaper AS – via Sport Witness – United are in the mix to sign RB Leipzig and Spain star, Dani Olmo, with the 26-year-old having been heavily linked for a departure following his sparkling form at Euro 2024 this summer.
As per the piece, the former Dinamo Zagreb playmaker does have a €60m (51m) release clause in his current deal, although this is set to expire today (20 July), thus ensuring any interested party would likely have to negotiate a fee with the Bundesliga outfit.
Why Dani Olmo could thrive in the Premier League
As indicated in the graphic above, Olmo was a central part of La Roja's European triumph in Germany, registering five goal involvements from just six outings, while also averaging 1.8 key passes and 2.3 successful dribbles per game as a marker of his creative influence.
Lauded as a "technical genius" by journalist Josh Bunting amid that form on the international scene, the Leipzig star has unsurprisingly caught the attention of Europe's elite clubs, with rivals Manchester City also said to be plotting a move this summer.
If United can win the race for his signature it could allow Erik ten Hag to finally acquire a worthy alternative to Fernandes in an attacking midfield role, with a certain Donny van de Beek – who recently departed for Girona – having tried and failed to dislodge the Red Devils' skipper.
What makes Olmo such an exciting option is also his apparent likeness to a current Premier League sensation in the form of Chelsea's Cole Palmer, with the Spaniard and the boyhood United fan said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.
Metric (per 90)
Olmo
Palmer
Goals
0.25
0.76
Assists
0.31
0.38
Progressive carries
3.73
4.02
Progressive passes
4.22
6.77
Progressive passes received
6.89
6.70
Pass completion
77.8%
79.2%
Shot-creating actions
3.79
5.57
As can be seen above, it is Palmer – who scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in the Premier League last season – who unsurprisingly comes out on top, but Olmo notably boasts a similar return with regard to assists per 90, as well as in relation to progressive passes and progressive passes received, indicating his ability to create in the final third.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
The latter man did actually only end 2023/24 with four goals and five assists in Germany's top-flight, although considering that came from just 17 starts – while Palmer started 29 games for the Blues – it is hardly the worst return.
Of course, those at United may have concerns over Olmo's injury record in recent times, yet as seen this summer, when he is fit and firing the 5 foot 9 sensation can prove almost impossible to contain.
Fernandes, it must be said, may need to watch out.
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