Manchester United want Belgian full-back Thomas Meunier on free transfer, a good deal?

Bengaluru, May 12: Manchester United have reportedly joined the race for snapping up Belgian international full-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer in the summer. They are set to face competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea for the signature of the 28-year-old as his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires in the summer.

The 28-year-old Belgian would be an incredible addition to Manchester United if the Red Devils can pull this deal off and here are the reasons why:

Experience

Even though the Red Devils spent £45m for the services of Aaron Wan-Bissaka a year ago, Meunier is levels ahead of the Englishman in terms of experience at the top level. He has played 128 games for PSG since signing for them in 2016 and is also an experienced international footballer with 40 caps to his name for Belgium.

The right-back was a key part of the Belgian side that finished third in the FIFA World Cup in 2018. If Manchester United can add such a seasoned footballer to their ranks without spending a penny, it could prove to be a very wise deal for them.

Attacking prowess

Wan-Bissaka is a talent of the highest order but he is still far from a finished product. The 22-year-old lacks a lot attacking wise and that is not acceptable sometimes from a modern-day full-back. He might be one of the very best right-backs in the world in terms of his defending abilities but Meunier is far more complete than the former Crystal Palace starlet.

The Belgian would give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side a completely different dimension with his excellent attacking instinct. With Ashley Young having left the club, Meunier would prove to be an excellent alternative to Wan-Bissaka in the right-back position.

Statistical comparison to Wan-Bissaka

Wan-Bissaka has just two assists to his name this season and is yet to score his first goal for the Red Devils in 33 games for the club in all competitions whereas Meunier has the exact same number of assists and one goal this season for PSG in 27 games.

Meunier, with his huge 6' 3" frame, also excels in the air and that is evident from his 1.4 aerial duels won per game which is much superior to Wan-Bissaka's 0.7. Meunier's passing figures are also much more impressive compared to Wan-Bissaka.

The Belgian has averaged 48.9 passes per game with 84.3% accuracy and has also averaged 1.2 crosses and 2.2 long balls per game. Wan-Bissaka's numbers are much behind with 46.8 passes with 80.8% accuracy averaging 1.1 long balls and 0.3 crosses per game. So, it is pretty clear what Meunier would bring to Old Trafford.

Versatility

Another thing Thomas Meunier is blessed with is his incredible versatility. The 28-year-old has featured at right-back for the majority of his career but he is also capable of playing in several other roles thanks to his immense adaptability and sense of completeness.

The 28-year-old is capable of playing as a right wing-back, right-winger, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, left-back and even as a left-winger. With such a player in his team, Solskjaer will have a licence to tweak his tactics even during the game. On a free transfer, Meunier would simply be a no-brainer.