Just last season, a few months ago, Manchester United's genius new star Kobe Menu was still the standout in the team. This young man played his part in England's rise to the final of the 2024 European Cup during an outstanding season in his first participation in high-level football matches.
In November 2023, Erik ten Hag belatedly brought this local youngster into the Manchester United squad for the first time, starting him in the Premier League match against Everton after he was injured in the preseason. Menu's performance as the best player in the Premier League at Goodison Park set the tone for his personal glory in the 2023/24 season.
For this graduate of the Manchester United youth academy, a significant highlight came in February when Menu locked down all three points for the team in dramatic circumstances against Wolves. He cleverly weaved through the home team's defense and then sent the ball into the corner of the goal with elegance. A Premier League star was born.
However, this talented midfielder returned to Molineux Stadium on Boxing Day, embodying the rookie wall problem that any young player often encounters. In the disappointing 2024/25 season so far, 19-year-old Menu has performed poorly.
In his 50th appearance for the first team, Menu looked like a shadow of the player who shone last season. As Samuel Luckhurst said, Menu struggled in midfield.
Now deployed in midfield alongside summer signing Manuel Ugarte, this Manchester United youth talent seems somewhat behind the pace, winning only twice in eight duels, failing to complete a dribble, and losing possession 11 times.
There were only one or two standout performances, including a lofted pass that Rasmus Hojlund almost successfully connected with. But honestly, it was not surprising when Menu was substituted after an hour. This rising star repeatedly kicked the ball out of play, which is indeed a sign of his declining confidence, and Ruben Amorim needs to find a way to reactivate this Manchester United youth talent.
It is reported that adding a new midfielder in 2025 may be able to activate Menu and make him shine again. According to journalists Mark Critchley and David Ornstein from The Athletic, Manchester United is currently believed to be interested in Atalanta midfielder Edson, the Brazilian who has had an "impressive" performance in Serie A.
This follows a statement by Florian Plettenberg, a reporter for German Sky Sports, who suggested that the 25-year-old Edson is one of the targets that Manchester United is "seriously considering" because they have "examined him several times."
On Transfermarkt, Edson is valued at 40 million euros. Although The Athletic did not disclose the potential price tag for this excellent Serie A midfielder, Plettenberg claimed last week that the Serie A side might demand as much as 60 million euros.
Edson's arrival could be perfect for Menu. Although Edson may not be the most well-known figure, he has received praise for his performance in Italy over the past few seasons, with former England manager Fabio Capello being one of them, commenting: "His ability combines running, physicality, technique, and intelligence, which is simply extraordinary."
As a member of the team that won the Europa League last season, they defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, and this sought-after talent, described by statistician Dave as a "monster-level" performance in that victory, could be the perfect partner for Menu in midfield.
This 1.83-meter midfield machine contributed two goals and one assist in the 2024/25 Serie A season while excelling in regaining possession, tackling, intercepting, and recovering the ball.
This also supports the claim of his club teammate Marten De Roon, who said that Edson's "speed and recovery ability are something others don't have." He is simply a real workhorse.
Compared to Menu's current partner, Ugarte, what sets him apart is his ability to break through the defense and influence the game offensively, as evidenced by his average of 6.43 forward passes per 90 minutes over the past 365 days. In contrast, the Uruguayan's average in this regard is only 3.42.
This ensures that he can be the person to discover Menu's breakthrough in the attacking area, and Edson also offers the benefits of operating under the old coach Gian Piero Gasperini in a 3-4-3 system.
The same applies to Ugarte, but the partnership with Menu is simply not working at the moment, so Manchester United needs a new face, preferably in the New Year.
Similarly, there is a possibility that Edson can partner with Ugarte, thereby releasing Menu to take on one of the two number ten positions, and with such two athletic midfielders supporting him from behind, this talented Manchester United youth star can shine on the field again.