Patrice Evra has become very outspoken with his views in the recent months, but yet he has remained very tight-lipped about his future at Manchester United. After getting his head sorted following the disaster time he experienced at the 2010 FIFA World Cup with France, the United left-back has been one of the main reasons the Reds are at the top of the Barclays Premier League table right now.
In the past month and a half, Evra has given a couple candid interviews about some of United’s title rivals, but not once has he chose to comment about his future commitment at Old Trafford, which could be a bit worrisome for the supporters. Even though his performances are not showing signs of any contemplation, there are an increasing amount of stories that Sir Alex Ferguson is on the prowl to find a suitable replacement for Evra.
These same imaginative tabloids are also reporting that Evra is going to be heading to Spain this summer with Real Madrid the likeliest of destinations. The Frenchman had a comical crack at Arsenal and their desire to win, and then hit out at everyone was anti-United fan, and wanted them to lose against Tottenham, but he has not said anything about the Real rumours.
Despite having a very capable left-back in Marcelo, Madrid’s manager, Jose Mourinho, was heavily linked with a move for Chelsea’s Ashley Cole this past summer, and since he was denied his former player, he has probably turned his attention to Evra. There is no questioning that Evra is, one of, if not the most dominant left-backs in English football, which is why has been linked with some of the equally as big clubs, but if he left United, Sir Alex would have to go for a ready-made replacement.
Ferguson has the likes of John O’Shea, Fabio and Ritchie De Laet, who is spending the rest of the season at Portsmouth in the npower Championship. However, to be brutally honest, none of those three substitutes are on the same level as Evra is – in either defending or attacking.
Suitors
So if Patrice decides to follow in the footsteps of one of his dear friends, Carlos Tevez, and leave Manchester United, then who is Sir Alex going to replace him with? Michel Bastos, Marcelo Viera, Leighton Baines, Fabio Coentrao and Taye Taiwo are all potential replacements for Evra at left-back.
It comes as no surprise that there are two Brazilians that are being linked with United, as both Bastos and Marcelo Viera are very attack-minded full-backs. Bastos is the oldest full-back of the lot, and at 27, he is still a full two years younger than Evra, who will be turning 30 before the end of the 2010/11 season.
The Brazilian has spent the last five season in Ligue 1, and Bastos is currently on the books at Olympique Lyon, so he does have the European pedigree that will be desired by Ferguson. Marcelo is only 22 years young, but he has already featured for the Brazilian national team six times and has scored a goal in one those appearances as well.
The Madrid man has been often dubbed as the new Roberto Carlos, because they rip up and down the left wing, but, unfortunately, Marcelo does not have the same deadly left foot that his predecessor had. However, the next left-back that should be considered as the sweetest left pegs, and Baines offers quite a bit going forward, which is something that Sir Alex has always required from his full-backs.
Baines, 26, has really enjoyed the shot at first-team football over the last three seasons after spending his first season at Everton on the outside looking in, and he has since become one of the most wanted left-footed defenders in the Premier League. Coentrao is highly-rated Portuguese full-back, who has been linked with Chelsea and other clubs after bursting on the scene a few years ago with Benfica.
The blond-haired, 22-year old full-back has already featured 11 times for the Portugal national team, so he would have played under Carlos Queiroz, who has always been one of Ferguson’s biggest allies, and it would be a surprised if he did not turn to him again with Coentrao.
The final full-back that could be a successor to Evra is Taiwo, and he has to be the most well-rounded of any of the left-sided players being mentioned. The United supporters will get a glimpse of the 25-year old Nigerian when Olympique de Marseille play the Reds in the UEFA Champions League’s Round of 16, and Taiwo has the ability to bomb forward with pace and power.
Stats
United’s back-four was almost impenetrable against Spurs at the weekend, and with a lesser left-back, the Reds could have been carved open by Aaron Lennon. With that clean sheet against Tottenham, United is not tied with Manchester City and Chelsea for having the Premier League’s best defense with 19 goals against. In the last 11 games, Evra has helped solidify the stingiest defense in the league by only conceding seven goals – a remarkable 0.64 GAA.
It would be Sir Alex Ferguson’s first choice to keep Patrice Evra at Manchester United, but this is another fine example of the supporters bestowing their trust that the manager will do the club proud.
Submitted by The United Religion
