Manchester United will hope the international break has given Erik ten Hag time to gather his thoughts and regroup ahead of a hectic few weeks.
United had snatched a last-gasp win against Brentford a couple of weeks ago, yet this has only papered over the cracks since the start of the season.
They have won only five matches this term, claiming victory in just four of their opening eight Premier League fixtures and whilst the win over the Bees has given the Dutchman some breathing space, form like this ensures the club is never far from a crisis.
What looked like a summer of rejuvenation failed to materialise and several of his new signings have been unable to really hit the ground running, in particular – Mason Mount.
How has Mason Mount performed this season?
The Englishman joined the Red Devils in a deal worth up to £60m during the summer transfer window and considering his contract was set to expire at Chelsea in 2024, it certainly looked as though Ten Hag had overpaid.
Three months into the current season, this is a fair statement, especially considering he has unperformed at Old Trafford.
The midfielder has played in just six of their 11 games this term, registering one assist, and he will need to vastly improve over the coming months if he is to endear himself to the United faithful.
Across his four Premier League appearances, Mount currently ranks in a lowly eighth position among his teammates for key passes per game (one), while ranking 15th for accurate passes (23.8) and eighth for successful dribbles (0.8) per game, clearly indicating he hasn’t exactly had the biggest impact for the club during his first few months.
The Dutchman could perhaps turn to the transfer market to find a player who can live up to the expectations at United, amid reported interest in Bayer Leverkusen youngster Florian Wirtz.
Are Man Utd interested in Florian Wirtz?
According to Sport (via Sport Witness), the Red Devils are ‘in the mix’ to sign Wirtz from the German side, although they face some stiff competition from Manchester City and Newcastle United in order to secure his signature.
Barcelona are also interested in Wirtz, yet their financial situation could scupper any potential move, and it is claimed that Xabi Alonso is demanding a fee in the region of €85m (£74m) – an eyewatering amount for a player so young.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, the Dutchman may look to make a concrete offer for the German starlet in a bid to improve his attacking options at the club.
With Mount struggling to get going so far at Old Trafford and Bruno Fernandes nearing 30, Wirtz could arrive at precisely the right time to continue his development while emerging as an heir to the Portuguese maestro.
How good is Florian Wirtz?
Remarkably, Wirtz is still just 20, yet he has already amassed 12 full caps for Germany while making over 100 appearances for Leverkusen since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 26 goals and grabbing 34 assists in that time period.
His resilience has also been tested, as the youngster suffered a cruciate ligament tear in March 2022 which kept him out for nine months and this could have seriously damaged his career, yet he has returned to the sparkling form he showcased before his injury.
So far this term, Wirtz has scored three times while registering four assists, and he could be a key figure under Alonso as the former Liverpool star aims to take the club to places they have never reached before.
Such is his talents, the youngster is shining when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, ranking in the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (3.6) while even ranking in the top 2% for both shot-creating actions (5.9) and assists (0.45) per 90, indicating how good he has been over the previous 12 months.
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Talent scout Jacek Kulig had only positive things to say about the starlet following his performances in the Europa League last term, saying: “19 years of age. Superb in the Bundesliga, superb in Europe. Elite talent.”
There is no doubt he is ready for the step-up and United could be the perfect destination for him.
Could Florian Wirtz replace Bruno Fernandes?
According to WhoScored, both Fernandes and Wirtz excel at key passes and through balls while they both tend to play the ball off the ground often and these similarities could ensure the talented German is a success in Manchester.
Fernandes has been United’s key creative outlet yet again this season. For his league displays, the 29-year-old currently ranks first across the whole squad for big chances created (five), while also ranking second for key passes per game (2.9) and first for shots on target per game (1.4), demonstrating that he is integral to Ten Hag for his attacking qualities.
Wirtz has also shone domestically this term for Leverkusen, ranking second across the squad for big chances created (six) along with sitting in second for key passes per game (three) and third for shots on target per game (1.1) and the statistics certainly show that the youngster has even outperformed Fernandes on a couple of metrics.
There is no doubt that Wirtz is a generational talent, and it is hardly surprising that some of the biggest clubs on the continent are chasing him ahead of making a potential move.
If Ten Hag wishes to build United into this behemoth that he so desires, then signing talents such as Wirtz is the only way he is going to be able to achieve his goals.
Letting rivals such as City swoop in and sign him would be yet another blow for the Dutchman, and he has simply got to make a wonderful offer for the German, even if it means bad news for Mount.
His performances already during his short career have been sensational and if there is anyone who could displace Mount and eventually become a heir to Fernandes, then Wirtz is the player.
If he moved to United and continued with his recent form, it could arguably be the catalyst which spurs the club on to greater things.