Manchester United will be hoping that they can use the final game of the 2023/24 season as a platform to spring from ahead of the new campaign.
The club has finally decided who next season’s manager will be; Erik ten Hag will keep his job after plenty of deliberation, with the season review finally coming to an end, which was confirmed by David Ornstein.
Their FA Cup final victory over Mancunian rivals Manchester City was the perfect way for United to end the season. Goals from academy graduate pair Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo were enough to seal United’s 13th FA Cup title. It was no doubt a victory that has given them supreme confidence ahead of next term.
Indeed, United's 2024/25 campaign begins at home on a Friday night, against Fulham. The Red Devils then travel down south to face Brighton, a fixture they won 2-0 on the final day of the Premier League season, before rounding off their August fixtures with a heavyweight clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
To help bolster their chances of finishing in the top four next season, United will no doubt have to strengthen their side this summer. They have already been linked to one man who could enhance the quality of their side in attack.
Man Utd target Ligue 1 attacker
The player in question here is Stade Rennais and France under-23 international Desire Doue. The 19-year-old attacker has performed superbly for Rennes last season and is now thought to be of interest to some clubs during the summer transfer window.
At least, that is according to a report from Danny Rust and Dean Jones, football journalists for GiveMeSport. The pair suggest that United 'have been impressed' by what they have seen from the talented Frenchman when scouting him, explaining that they are 'adamant that he fits the profile' of an alternative option to lead the line instead of Rasmus Hojlund.
However, the Red Devils are not the only Premier League side who are looking at signing Doue over the summer. North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also considering a move, and further down the Thames, Chelsea are also interested in the youngster.
The talented youngster's quoted price of £60m is a potential stumbling block for United. The article suggested that they are 'confident that he will be out of their price range', with manager Ten Hag hoping that resources will be pooled wider to recruit in more areas of the pitch.
Why Doue would be a good signing
Despite being 19 years of age, he featured very regularly for Rennes last season. He played 31 times in Ligue 1, and put up some impressive numbers, scoring four goals and registering five assists. Not only that, Doue played six times in the Europa League and even managed to grab an assist in the Coupe de France, in five appearances.
There are few players as versatile as the £60m-rated ace, who was dubbed a "pleasure to watch" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, in Europe right now, and he played at least one game in six different positions last season. Those appearances mainly came from the left wing, but he played right across the midfield, too.
Position
Games
G/A
Left-wing
13
4
Right-wing
2
0
Attacking midfield
4
0
Right midfield
1
0
Left midfield
1
0
Central midfield
4
1
Football analyst Ben Mattinson paid Doue a complement of the highest order, by saying the youngster is in the “Musiala, Neymar, Ronaldinho mould”, and explaining that he can “run games in style”. His dribbling skills are certainly some of his best attributes, as Mattinson explains, and this is also reflected in his FBRef numbers.
Per 90 minutes, the 19-year-old averages 4.38 progressive carries, 4.20 carries into the final third and 1.55 carries into the penalty box. He is amongst the best at these, with all three ranking him in the top 1%. He is a very direct winger, who does not shy away from driving forward to help his team progress play, as is suggested by the stats.
His take-on numbers are also astounding. Doue has lightning-quick feet, bags of skills and can change direction with ease. The young Frenchman averages 5.84 attempted take-ons per 90, which turns into an average of 3.42 successful take-ons.
He also wins an average of 2.83 fouls per 90, showing just how hard it is to win the ball off him cleanly. Again, all three of these stats rank him in the top 1%. These are the stats of one of the world’s best dribblers.
However, it is not only in his ball carrying in which the Rennes whiz thrives. In fact, the youngster is also a creative machine. On average, the Frenchman plays 6.71 progressive passes per 90, which ranks him in the top 17%.
However, it is close to the penalty area where he really excels; Doue loves to operate in the half-space, especially on the left-hand side. Per 90 minutes, he averages 2.42 passes into the penalty area, which ranks him in the top 2%. It is also worth noting that he plays 1.78 key passes each game, showing just how creative he is. This is something that ranks him in the top 11%.
Mattinson’s comparison to Neymar and Ronaldinho is clear to see when looking at the stats. The Frenchman is so similar in the way he toys with defenders just like the pair of Brazilian legends, with his bag of tricks and complete fearlessness on the ball making him so unpredictable. However, he is not just a dribbler. Like both Neymar and Ronaldinho, he is a player who puts up impressive goals and assists numbers, showing he has an end product.
Mattinson described Doue as “an entertainer”, and it is very clear to see why. He has impressive goal involvement output but is also incredible to watch, and with the game having fewer players who are aesthetically pleasing than in the early 2000s, players like him are even more exciting.
If United do sign the youngster this summer, he is a player who would no doubt get the Old Trafford faithful off their feet. Whilst £60m seems a lot of money, it is an investment for both the present and the future, and with his ability to play in a multitude of positions, they are adding a special gem who could be ten Hag's own Neymar.
