Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer has emerged as a loan target for Manchester United ahead of the January transfer window closing.
After learning that United midfielder Christian Eriksen is set for a lengthy period on the sidelines following an injury sustained against Reading in the FA Cup, Erik teg Hag is targeting Bayern Munich's Sabitzer as temporary cover. Chelsea are also reportedly interested in the Austrian midfielder who has struggled for game time since his move to Bayern in 2021.
So far this month, Ten Hag has made two signings, with Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland arriving on loan from Burnley and Crystal Palace respectively. On the basis of a short-term loan, United will struggle to find an option better than Sabitzer.
READ MORE: United trying to sign a midfielder before transfer deadline
So, could Sabitzer perform well in Eriksen's absence? Let's take a look.
We 'signed' Marcel Sabitzer for Manchester United in January
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2023 editor to arrange for Sabitzer to join United on loan, using FM23 to run the simulation. We also updated the Premier League with the latest results and transfers to get the most accurate results.
On his arrival, Sabitzer was used as a starter by Ten Hag, but some poor performances saw the midfielder quickly drop to the bench before rarely making an appearance. Over the course of the season, the 28-year-old made 11 appearances, with just four of those starts.
In those games, he averaged a rating of 6.9 per game, though this was massively boosted by the 8.6 rating he received in the FA Cup where the midfielder grabbed three assists in a 5-0 win. They were the only goal contributions Sabitzer managed all season, improving his average rating which consisted of a 6.53 rating in the Premier League and a 6.8 rating in the Carabao Cup.
When compared to his teammates, Sabitzer wasn't great, with his average rating much lower than Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Eriksen. His rating was higher than Fred and Scott McTominay, showing he may prove a better option than what's currently available at United.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 2023 put together an overall best United XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what United's best XI looked like at the end of the 2022/23 season as predicted by Football Manager 2023:
Full United best XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Sancho; Rashford.
As expected due to the number of appearances and level of performance, Sabitzer missed out on a spot in the United XI, with Eriksen and Casemiro starting in the double pivot behind Fernandes. Jadon Sancho impressed on his return to the squad and established himself as the starting winger in the side, ultimately moving Marcus Rashford into the striker role.
Despite Eriksen's absence, United continued to win under Ten Hag, and a run of nine straight wins in the league between March and April took United up in the table. A poor end to the season from Manchester City and a drop in form from Newcastle worked in United's favour, and they ended the season in second place.
15 points behind Arsenal in first who ended the campaign with 99 points, United lost just one game after the arrival of Sabitzer, with the defeat coming against Liverpool at Anfield. Apart from that, it was a perfect end to the season for Ten Hag's side as they claimed a spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.
United were solid defensively in the simulation, ending the season with the second-best defence in the league. Ten Hag's men continued to perform well in the cup competitions as well, ending the season with a trophy to their name.
United met Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, and goals from Facundo Pellistri and Fred secured a 2-0 win to lift the trophy. United were eliminated in the FA Cup semi-final after losing 1-0 to Arsenal, whilst a 3-1 aggregate defeat saw Ten Hag's side knocked out of the Europa League to RB Leipzig in the round of 16.
Overall, this simulation suggests that Sabitzer may prove to be more of a panic buy than a player who truly is needed at United, with the midfielder failing to impress in Eriksen's absence, and quickly becoming a bench player under Ten Hag. Despite this, United coped without Eriksen, winning the Carabao Cup and claiming second place in the Premier League.
Would you like to see United sign Sabitzer? Let us know in the comments!
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