At the start of the 2014-15 campaign, it seemed like Louis van Gaal had all the pieces necessary to complete the big picture: winning the Premier League.There was the pricey new Real Madrid sensation, the two-time UEFA Europa League champion on loan from Monaco and of course the reliable club captain, England born and bred.As the season progressed, however, it became clear that these pieces were not fitting together as planned. The expensive sensation failed to prove his worth, the loaner flopped miserably and the captain couldn’t quite pick up the slack all on his own.
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Now, van Gaal is shopping for a new attacker before next season. United goalkeeper David De Gea is headed over to Real Madrid, and van Gaal has expressed interest in Los Blancos striker Karim Benzema. While a direct trade isn’t likely, Real Madrid have made it clear they’re looking to offload the Frenchman, and van Gaal stands a chance of landing him.Could Benzema be the missing piece to Manchester United’s puzzle?
The centre forward certainly knows how to do the one thing the Red Devils couldn’t do this entire season: score. Benzema notched 22 goals and 15 assists for the Spanish side, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo. He averaged 165 minutes per goal, outperforming teammate Gareth Bale (237 minutes per goal).
Benzema is the perfect candidate to replace Radamel Falcao in United’s front line. The Frenchman has far better possession skills than Falcao, who often loses control of the ball. Benzema is also a deadly counter attack threat, as is Wayne Rooney. Paired together, the two would undoubtedly elevate United’s transition football.
Throughout the season, van Gaal rarely diverged from his trusted 4-3-3 formation, with mixed results. Many fans clamored for him to adapt a 4-2-3-1, so that Rooney, Juan Mata and Falcao could all play the more central roles they were used to. Benzema regularly played in a 4-2-3-1 under Carlo Ancelotti in Madrid, and could help Manchester United utilise the formation effectively as well.
A transfer would also reunite Benzema with former teammate Angel Di Maria, and possibly jolt the Argentinian back into the form he lacked all season. Overall, Benzema would play quite well with anyone in Manchester United’s attacking force.
It’s just a matter of finding the perfect fit.
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