Why Manchester United should step back from signing Diego Godin
According to Calcio Mercato via Sports Mole (h/t Manchester Evening News), Manchester United are interested in Inter Milan defender Diego Godin.
The report also claims that United chose against signing the 34-year-old centre-back, who was available for free last summer. The veteran Uruguayan instead joined Serie A side Inter Milan. However, he has seen himself sidelined to the bench for the most part of this season, making just 12 starts for Antonio Conte’s side.
A veteran of a massive 368 La Liga appearances for former side Atletico Madrid, there is no denying Godin’s experience as an established centre-back. However, the excellent form of Stefan de Vrij and Milan Skriniar in Inter back-line has pushed him down the pecking order.
Also, the swift rise of youngster Alessandro Bastoni has put his position under even more jeopardy. The young Italian has also made 12 league appearances and is seen as an upcoming talent.
Godin a mere stop-gap solution for Manchester United
Manchester United need a consistent defensive partner for Harry Maguire. The Englishman’s arrival has stabilised the United defence, which has seen them concede just 30 goals from 29 league matches this season.
With their major defensive woes sorted, United have now climbed to 5th in the league table. However, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be aware that his side needs to perform even better if they wish to climb to the top.
Solskjaer has mostly relied on Maguire and Victor Lindelof this season to take care of United’s defence. The pair have done a decent job so far, but Lindelof at times has been inconsistent and is prone to errors.
However, that does not make Godin a successful replacement for the Swede. There is no doubt of the veteran star’s defensive capabilities, having proved himself for both club and country. He has played a massive 135 games for Uruguay to date and is one of the most established defenders in Europe.
Uruguayan Diego Godin turned 34 last February. (Getty Images)Nevertheless, he turned 34 last February and is clearly reaching the end of his illustrious career, which has been evident from his limited appearance under Conte at Inter this season.
Also, he would be a mere stop-gap solution for United, especially at a time when they are building a squad with youngsters such as Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James among many others. Hence, they should shy away from any such attempts to land Godin as it would clearly not serve them well in the long run.
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Verdict
Apart from Maguire and Lindelof, United also have Eric Bailly, Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones in the side. This means they have enough back-up with them. Rather than spending their time and money on Godin, United should keep faith in their side’s centre-backs and offer them more chances. Adding another old guard such as Godin may just be a temporary solution but not a permanent one.
