Louis Saha believes Manchester United ought to be seeking to raid one other of his former club’s in the summertime and sign Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.
The Senegal international joined the Toffees from Marseille nearly two years ago in a £15million deal and has established a status as considered one of the Premier League’s most entertaining players.
Free of the constraints of Ruben Amorim’s rigid 3-4-3 system, meanwhile, United already appear to have turned a major corner under interim boss Michael Carrick.
Victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham showcased the total attacking potential of a squad that had been drastically under-performing under the hapless Portuguese manager.
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo have been two of the important beneficiaries of the choice to ditch Amorim mid-season.
No matter who takes up the reigns on a everlasting basis in the summertime, Saha believes United ought to be seeking to bolster their squad with a player of Ndiaye’s invention and creativity.
He told AceOdds.com: ‘Ndiaye, from the moment he signed, he’s been an incredible talent. I’d like to see him, perhaps in some unspecified time in the future at Man Utd, to be honest.
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‘He’s a really skillful player. I like Ndiaye’s style. Like Mbeumo, he’s comfortable with the ball.
‘His work rate is superb… he’s a bit like a combination of Amad and Mbeumo to be honest.’
A draw at West Ham last day trip, secured by a final gasp Benjamin Sesko equaliser, might need halted United’s winning run however the feelgood factor stays intact with Champions League qualification very much close by.
Kobbie Mainoo’s return to the side has coincided with an upturn in fortunesafter the gifted midfielder was effectively frozen out under Amorim.
Considered one of United’s most promising academy graduates appeared on the verge of leaving his boyhood club in the summertime but now looks set to be an important cog in his side’s engine room for years to return.
A return to the England squad ahead of the World Cup now looks a definite possibility and Saha has tipped the 20-year-old to force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s plans.
He said: ‘I feel that now Mainoo has found his form, he can get into Tuchel’s World Cup squad. Especially because he plays for Manchester United.
‘He’s got one of the best platform to try this. He’s been very impressive. 4 wins and 4 very impressive performances, so definitely Tuchel is watching, and he’s got all of the talent. He showed that throughout the Euros.
‘The concern was if he’s not playing and doesn’t have minutes under his belt, it could have been difficult, but he’s doing it now.
‘It’s as much as him to attain more goals and be more visible. If Manchester United are winning more games and picking up more points, he could have more credit within the bank obviously.’
While he has undoubtedly caught the attention in recent weeks, Saha admits that Mainoo remains to be removed from the finished product and has urged him so as to add more goals to his game.
He said: ‘Mainoo must resettle in spite of everything the pressure and discuss his future. His game still needs to enhance, and he can improve. He had great performances since coming back into the team.
‘Possibly he will be more aggressive in his attacking, but right away, perhaps isn’t the appropriate moment for that. At once, he needs to seek out his foundation, and Carrick is trying to try this.”
‘Mainoo is working well with Casemiro right away, and so they really compliment one another.
‘Physically, he has shown that he can compete but I would love to see him show his confidence in scoring goals like Scholes, Carrick and Darren Fletcher did and bombard forward. Technically, he is presented and might rating goals.’
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