It's been a tough old start to the season for Manchester United, with the Red Devils currently languishing outside the top four while seeing their hopes of Champions League progression also hang by a thread.
As the club's most recent outing showcased – the 3-3 draw away to Galatasaray in Istanbul – there is still much work to be done before Erik ten Hag's men are a credible force once again both domestically and in Europe, with the current squad simply not up to scratch at present.
Amid the impending investment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, however, there may be hopes of a brighter future at Old Trafford following the long-standing malaise under the Glazer ownership, with a change at the helm potentially set to also improve the club's fortunes on the pitch.
While Ratcliffe may have a long-term plan in mind, in the short-term the focus will likely be on potential new recruits that the INEOS chief could help to fund either in January or over the summer, with the Premier League giants in need of a boost after a rocky past few months.
One area of the pitch that could see notable turnover in 2024 is in the midfield ranks – as Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst has suggested – with Scott McTominay's long-term future still somewhat uncertain, while Casemiro has also been heavily linked with a swift departure in recent times.
Games
Goals
Assists
Casemiro
12
4
1
Christian Eriksen
15
1
2
Sofyan Amrabat
12
0
0
Scott McTominay
14
4
1
Mason Mount
12
0
2
Hannibal Mejbri
6
1
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
With Christian Eriksen – who has just 18 months left on his current deal – also not getting any younger and with Sofyan Amrabat only at the club on loan, it is clear that a shake-up is required in the New Year.
With that in mind, one name that has been doing the rounds of late is Brazilian sensation, Gabriel Moscardo, with the Corinthians starlet potentially set to be a long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo if a deal can be agreed.
Man Utd transfer news – Gabriel Moscardo
As per reports in Brazil earlier this week, United are believed to be among a host of Premier League clubs who have enquired about the 18-year-old midfielder, with both Arsenal and Chelsea also in the running for the youngster's signature.
According to ESPN, the teenager – who has made just 24 senior appearances to date for his current side – is likely to command a fee in the region of €30m (£26m) if he is to move away from his homeland.
Aside from the rival interest from both the Gunners and the Blues, one further stumbling block for the Red Devils, however, could well be the presence of Ligue 1 giants, Paris Saint-Germain, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that the French outfit are also in the race at present.
While that could pose an issue for Ten Hag and co, the fact that there is such intense interest in the in-demand ace is a testament to his quality, with United potentially able to get their hands on an undoubted diamond who could form part of the midfield for years to come.
Gabriel Moscardo's style of play
Those of a Man United persuasion may be intrigued to learn that Moscardo has earned recent comparisons to a player whom Ten Hag was said to be interested in during the summer, in the form of Arsenal's £105m man, Declan Rice.
That comparison has been noted by GOAL's Krishan Davis, who wrote of the similarities between the midfield duo back in October:
'Nominally a defensive midfielder who compliments his fine reading of the game by breaking the lines with lung-busting forward runs with the ball at his feet, the parallels are clear to see with Arsenal and England star Rice.'
Described as a "destroyer" by scout Ben Mattinson, the Brazil U23 international seemingly mirrors the Englishman with regard to his ability to effectively break up play in the centre of the park, as was evident from his form in 2023.
In 17 appearances in the Brazilian Serie A, Moscardo notably averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, while also recovering 3.9 balls per game, with Rice, for instance, averaging 3.1 and 4.9 for those same two metrics, respectively, in the league so far this term.
Both something of a physical, imposing asset at 6 foot 1, the two men are also alike with regard to their ability to drive forward with the ball from deep, with Rice ranking in the top 20% among his European peers for progress carries per 90, while his teenage counterpart ranks in the top 8% among his own peers for successful take-ons per 90.
With the former West Ham United skipper having already cemented his place as a star at the Emirates – notably scoring against Ten Hag's men earlier this season – finding a new version of the 24-year-old with the signing of Moscardo could be a dream outcome.
How Moscardo could slot in at Man Utd
With the likes of Amrabat and Casemiro potentially set to be elsewhere next season, there is certainly space for a figure like the Corinthians ace to provide a fresh injection of youth into the centre of the park.
The desire would likely be to see Moscardo form a long-term partnership with the aforementioned Mainoo, with the transfer target potentially set to be the perfect foil to allow his fellow teenager to shine.
As he has showcased in his early outings at senior level, Mainoo loves to get on the ball and dictate the tempo of a game, having previously been likened to a certain Paul Pogba in that regard by ex-teammate, Anthony Elanga.
To allow the 18-year-old to flourish, having a more physical presence like Moscardo alongside him could prove vital, with the latter man's ball-winning attributes – which see him rank in the top 8% among his peers for tackles per 90 – an undoubted asset.
The young "steering wheel" – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – could then win back possession and give it to the midfield metronome that is Mainoo, thus allowing the Stockport native to concentrate on dictating proceedings with his quality on the ball.
Of course, it would be a gamble to put faith in two teenage talents, yet having so often looked for short-term solutions in midfield of late, in regard to Casemiro and Eriksen, a change in tact could well be what is needed to get the Red Devils properly thriving again.