French star is steel Jose needs in middle
ANTOINE Griezmann and Tiemoue Bakayoko share something in common: rejection.
Both were tearful youngsters turned away from the French Football Federation’s national football centre in Clairefontaine.
The pair were denied their dream of following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry et al at the prestigious academy. But, more than a decade later, these one-time misfits now find themselves back at the France national football team’s headquarters as international teammates.
And, by the time Les Bleus’ next international rolls around, against Sweden in June, they could be one step closer to becoming club teammates at United.
The merits of signing Griezmann, to ease the burden on top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, are unquestionable.
For the second season running, the Reds could show admirable ambition in breaking the bank to sign the poster boy of French football.
But, there is another issue that is just as important: finding a longterm successor to Michael Carrick ahead of his testimonial in June.
Since Carrick joined United in 2006, more than £214m has been spent on central midfielders, three permanent managers have come and gone and Paul Scholes was resigned.
And, yet, Carrick has been an everpresent.
The veteran has kept himself remarkably fresh in his 30s with only two lengthy lay-offs – 78 days with an ankle ailment in 2014 and 116 days with a calf injury in 2015.
But, after a strong winter, Carrick has only started nine of United’s last 19 games after Jose Mourinho tinkered with a host of formations, including 3-5-2, 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1.
Turning 36 in the summer, United need to plan for life without their veteran – even if he signs a new deal.
Tiemoue Bakayoko could be their man, but the Reds face intense competition from Europe’s elite.
The France midfielder is interested in joining United if they qualify for the Champions League and is eager to work under a big-name manager to continue his development.
Anthony Martial, who is a close friend of the midfielder and played with him for a season at Monaco, could yet prove the Reds’ trump card.
Martial posted a congratulatory message on Twitter when Bakayoko scored against bitter rivals City in the last 16 of the Champions League earlier this month
‘Baka’s’ role in that 3-1 win will not have gone unnoticed.
Although he is capable of the odd ball over the top, Bakayoko is not a like-for-like replacement for Carrick and works best in Mourinho’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
Bakayoko is the steel that has allowed Monaco’s array of attacking talents to run riot and score 126 goals this season.
Cast in the mould of Yaya Toure, the explosive midfielder sets blistering attacks into motion with his interceptions and lung-busting runs from deep.
Bakayoko’s defensive qualities are equally as effective. It is hardly a surprise then that Monaco have not missed skipper Jeremy Toulalan since he joined Bordeaux last summer. But it could have been very different.
Bakayoko was substituted after just 32 minutes of his Monaco debut in 2014 and, like Paul Pogba, has had a tricky journey to the top.
Having taken time to prove his qualities on the field, Bakayoko turned heads off it with his pink Porsche Cayenne and lavish villa at Villefrance-sur-Mer.
And that turnaround off the field is much owed to Claude Makelele, who took Bakayoko under his wing in his previous role as Monaco’s technical director.
Just as Makelele proved the lynchpin of Mourinho’s maiden title win at Chelsea, Bakayoko could be the crucial piece of the jigsaw United are missing.