Why Erik Ten Hag should target Rangers' Super Eagles star as alternative to Frenkie De Jong

Manchester United recently appointed former Ajax manager Erik Ten Haag to oversee the huge rebuild the club needs.

The Dutch manager has set about his work and has identified Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong as one of his preferred players to help move the club into a new era.

Tier-1 sports journalist Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed that talks were ongoing for De Jong but transfers are a very fragile thing and a single problem could scupper a whole deal.

The Netherlands international wants to remain at Barcelona for next season as he wants to play Champions League football, which Manchester United cannot offer him having finished sixth in the Premier League.

In the eventuality that Manchester United are unable to sign De Jong or a change of plans happen,  allnigeriasoccer.com discusses why a Super Eagles star should be targeted as an alternative.

However, before revealing which Nigerian midfielder possesses the same traits, we need to understand Ten Hag's tactical set-up and the abilities he needs from De Jong.

Ten Hag is synonymous with his use of the 4-3-3 setup in a Jeugo De Posición (positional play) scheme.

For this formation, two interiors are needed to play ahead of the midfield anchor, also known as the defensive midfielder.

De Jong is a 'low centre of gravity' player who is extremely skilled on the ball and enjoys body feints.

He frequently employs a body feint that Toni Kroos is known for in order to confuse his opponents.

By using his first touch in the opposite direction of the pressing opponent, he is able to unbalance and then bypass the pressing player.

When starting a dribble, Frenkie likes to push the ball with his first touch, which allows him to gain an additional yard without showing the ball.

To progress the ball from deep, either by passing or dribbling, De Jong is sensational. He does this by passing it quickly and accurately to a teammate's strong foot using a variety of passing techniques.

Even if an opponent is pressing him from behind, he is very comfortable receiving a pass with his front to his own goal.

De Jong is a world-class interior but in the Super Eagles, one star mirrors the profile of the Dutch star. Enter, Glasgow Rangers ace Joe Aribo, a versatile player who can fit in numerous positions in the midfield.

He is quite capable of playing in a central midfield role or in an attacking midfield position.

The former Charlton Athletic man is also good when playing from the wide right or wide or as an inverted right-winger in a 3 point attacking formation.

While Aribo is primarily an attacking midfielder, he can also play the role of a central midfielder when needed.

This player prefers to use short, accurate passes to keep things simple, and doesn't take many chances with long, fancy balls.

He's an elite technician who enjoys cutting in on his favourite foot in order to take a shot or pass a teammate in the direction of the goal. He is a threat both in and out of possession.

While Aribo's technique when playing between the lines needs some work, his long strides can compensate for that due to the physical nature of the Premier League.

Sofoluwe Mayowa

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