And breathing. It finally happened. Manchester United have reached a breakthrough between Brentford and Brentford. Brian Mbemo will join Old Trafford in transactions worth up to £710 million.
Of course, the Cameroonian winger hasn’t signed it yet. But this is an important step forward, ending Starman’s negotiations with Premier League rival Brentford.
United bagged Mashwas Kuña from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £62.5 million. Reuben Amorim is redefineing his front line, but more is needed to trigger a much-needed comeback after finishing 15th in the top flight and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
Either way, the Red Devils are taking the right direction, but certainly need a lot.
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United have secured the offensive side, but they still need to sign the striker. Rasmus Hozilund flattered him to deceive last season, scoring just four times in the Premier League.
However, with Christian Eriksen leaving at the end of the contract, United need to improve their midfield, and while a wealth of names such as Atalanta’s Adason are being stolen, Amorim appears to be focused on talents that can have lasting impact.
According to Calcio, Mercato Javier Guerra has reached an oral agreement with Man United as it leaps towards an exit from Valencia.
The club is still negotiating details, but this is certainly a promising update.
We have inquired for further costumes from Spain and the UK, but AC Milan failed in its June move. The 22-year-old is valued at £26 million, but it could be a wise long-term investment.
What Javier Guerra brings to Man Utd
Guerra has so far graduated from Valencia’s Mestala Reserve Side, completing 89 senior appearances for the first team, scoring eight goals and offering four assists.
Talent Scout Jacek Kulig is considered to be a deep playmaker with a tactical style similar to Xabi Alonso, and Guerra sets his mind, setting up a clear vision for ballplay intelligence, Amorim’s setup, focusing on transitional play, and pushing the ball forward to something like Bruno Fernandes.
In this way he proves Eriksen’s seamless alternative.
In fact, Guerra ranks in the top 15% of the top 5 leagues in Europe. It ranked in the top five leagues of previous shots, top 17% of take-on success, and top 18% of ball recovery rates per 90 according to FBREF.
The blooming roundness of the Spaniard even suggests that he could become the next version of his legendary countryman Rodri. This time we’re playing on the red side of Manchester.
It would certainly be a fool’s game for Guerra to claim to emulate his Spanish Rodri from the offs of the Premier League. Pep Guardiola’s Baron de Orr’s winner joined Atletico Madrid’s Man City in July 2019 at the 23-year-old on a club record deal worth £63 million.
Rodri was further in his development than Guerra at that stage, but the similarities lie there, whether the Valencia star is a more pass-focused player than he is, or the sense of the city encapsulates every facet in the mid-game into an exaggerated level.
The 29-year-old won the full range alongside Pep Guardiola at Man City, where he won the 2024 European Championship in his country.
If United can build their own version of the Modern Great Ingera, Amorim’s vision could potentially lift off in the coming months and years.
Compared to Guerra, comparing it to the current Rodri iterations is redundant, and Rodri is very good, missing out on most of the 2024/25 campaign due to injuries.
Instead, let’s take a look at Guerra’s La Liga statistics from Rodri’s recent term from his last year in his hometown. The latter maintained a higher level, but there is much to be gained from matching.
League – Javi Guerra vs Rodri | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (*per game) | Galla (24/25) | Rodrigo (18/19) |
Match (start) | 36 (31) | 34 (32) |
the goal | 3 | 3 |
assist | 3 | 1 |
touch* | 49.8 | 69.8 |
Pass completed | 80% | 91% |
A big opportunity has been created | 6 | 2 |
Key Pass* | 0.6 | 0.5 |
dribble* | 0.8 | 0.6 |
Ball recovery* | 5.9 | 9.2 |
Tackle + Intercept* | 2.0 | 4.2 |
The duel won* | 3.5 | 7.1 |
Data based on sofa score | ||
As you can see, Rodri was a more combative and commanding midfield general, as his energy and tenacity were seen through his defensive contributions and his ball recovery rate.
Ball recovery is defined by the number of loose balls recovered by the player.
But Guerra has done a great campaign on his own merits.
It is also worth noting that Guerra is competing against the Valencia side, who appears to be fated across the opening half of the season before his return after a 7-1 loss to Barcelona in January, and is doomed towards the second tier.
The victory following that hammering by By was created by Guerra, who scored and supported Celta Vigo in a 2-1 victory.
Certainly, Guerra shows herself as a little more creative talent about him than Rodri in her younger days.
Setting the expectation that he will reach Rodri’s high-class level is an immediate undo of this talented young midfielder. But Amorim is not expected to reach the level of his fellow brotherhood rather than making a version of himself, but can he instead offer technical qualities to Man United and improve them?
Signing a new star at the point of proven is exactly the kind of movement Amorim needs to make and might establish the foundation for much-needed revival.
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