As per the reliable Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have made progress in their pursuit of Eduardo Camavinga this summer.
Rennes are reportedly willing to begin negotiations at €30 million - which is quite economical compared to other defensive midfielders (in other words, Declan Rice).
A defensive midfielder should be a priority - the Scott McTominay-Fred combination hasn't worked consistently enough while Nemanja Matic simply lacks the pace and fitness to play every single game.
Tribuna.com takes a look at three ways United could line up with the 19-year-old, who played 35 times in the Ligue 1 last season.
Option 1: The hyped midfield diamond
United tried a 4-4-2 formation last season a couple of times but with Camavinga in the mix, it looks like a deadly XI.
We have our familiar backline (everybody pray we sign Raphael Varane) but with Camavinga shielding them. He's joined by Fred, Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in midfield.
For the attack, we have Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood as the two strikers up front.
👉 Why this formation: Fred can get in and do the dirty work while Camavinga protects the defence with his tackling skills (the youngster averaged 2.8 tackles per game in 2020/21). He can also supply the ball forward, meaning Bruno and Pogba will have loads of opportunities to capitalise. Camavinga's presence will also ease the defensive duties off Pogba.
Option 2: Familiar 4-2-3-1 set-up
This was perhaps our most-used formation in 2020/21 and that's because it worked.
Even now, this looks like the strongest option with Camavinga in the fray. The defence remains unchanged but the teenager plays alongside Pogba in midfield.
We then have Marcus Rashford on the left wing, Bruno as No.10 and *drumroll* Jadon Sancho on the right. Cavani, of course, completes the attack.
👉 Why this formation: As a matter of fact, Camavinga has been part of a two-man midfield since he was 16! He wowed the world when we played against Angers on his debut and followed it up with a superior show against PSG in 2019. Camavinga bossed the midfield, keeping established names like Kylian Mbappe, Angel di Maria, Marco Verratti, and even Cavani quiet.
Having compatriot Pogba next to him could help United finally 'unlock' the 28-year-old. With Camavinga next to him, the set-up could be similar to his partnership with N'Golo Kante for France.
Option 3: 3-5-2 with a twist
Here's where things get a little crazy - Shaw, Lindelof and Maguire make up the three-man defence while Alex Telles and Aaron Wan-Bissaka play as wing-backs.
We then have Camavinga, McTominay and Bruno in midfield - and an interesting pair up top. That's right - Sancho and Rashford play together as strikers, which sounds mouth-wateringly tempting, doesn't it?
👉 Why this formation: Even if this XI isn't good enough to start, it could be an option when we have 10 minutes left on the clock and need to protect our lead.
Alternately, even if we use it as a starting XI, McTominay could be the link between Camavinga and the attack. The Scotsman excels in a box-to-box role and could link up well with the teenager, who is not so shoddy at forward passes himself.
Camavinga averaged 1.8 key passes per game in the Champions League last season in addition to an average of 1.3 shots per game. That's brilliant for a defensive midfielder who is so young.
How would you fit Camavinga in United's XI?
