Manchester United have been linked with a new centre back, and football stats analysts WhoScored.com have cast an expert eye over the player Jose Mourinho could make a move for…
It’s hard to believe that Atletico would even be willing to part ways with Gimenez. It was only last season that Diego Simeone labelled the Uruguayan as one of the four best centre-backs in the world. His partnership with fellow countryman Diego Godin was one of the finest in Europe, but Simone’s side may be forced into cashing in on the 21-year-old if things continue as they are.
Gimenez was forced to watch last season’s Champions League final from the bench and hasn’t managed to get back into the team since, having only featured in 36 minutes of action in La Liga due to an accumulation of injuries and the rise of Stefan Savi?. Normally this wouldn’t present a significant dilemma for Simeone, but with 18 months remaining on the player’s existing deal, the La Liga giants may have to make a big decision on his future soon.
Mourinho doesn’t typically place his faith in youth, but Gimenez has plenty of experience despite his tender years. Having left his homeland to join Atletico in 2013, he has won La Liga and represented his country at the 2014 World Cup, as well as the last two Copa America tournaments.
First and foremost, however, he has all the making of a class defender and is certainly the type that will run through walls for the team, which will go down well with Mourinho.
Despite playing in less than a half of league games this season, Gimenez has still blocked at least three more shots than any other Atletico player in La Liga since the start of last season (18), accentuating his statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘blocking the ball’. It’s typical defending of a Simeone side, ready to put their neck on the line for the team, desperate not to concede.
It’s that sort of mentality that would serve United well in their quest to return to the summit of Premier League football, and a necessity that was only heightened following the manner of their 4-0 defeat to Chelsea last month.
Gimenez is not without his faults, but his accomplishments would install greater confidence in the heat of battle. It’s perhaps telling that in 48 La Liga appearances Gimenez has committed only one error that directly led to a shot at goal, and he is yet to receive a red card for Atletico despite his aggressive take to defending.
United always look most vulnerable when opponents can run them down the channels, exposing the space between the centre-back and full-back. It’s not an area in which both Chris Smalling and Daley Blind particularly excel at, but one where Bailly has shone. Gimenez has similarly demonstrated he is an accomplished defender when the defence is stretched and the need to cover your full-back presents itself. He could compliment Bailly, therefore.
This is largely in part to his ability to read the game and position himself in areas ready to nullify any hint of danger, which is perhaps an underrated trait of the youngster. His statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘concentration’, coupled with an average of 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game over the last two seasons highlights that facet of his game.
Many may wonder why Mourinho even needs to address a defence that finished last season with the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League (35 goals conceded), having also kept a league-high 18 clean sheets. However, United played a brand of football under Louis van Gaal that was risk-adverse, unwilling to throw bodies forward to limit the risk of being left exposed at the back.
Mourinho hardly promotes the swashbuckling football United were associated with under Sir Alex Ferguson, but there has been an ever so slight attempt to make the team more entertaining.
Should Gimenez become available, United would be foolish not to try their best to lure him to Old Trafford. His signing would be the ideal way to continue shaping a Premier League winning side.
For more stats on Jose Gimenez, click here to view his WhoScored.com player page.