The concern
Manchester United continue to be linked with a move for Jurrien Timber with Erik ten Hag looking for a reunion with the Ajax centre-back.
However, the Netherlands international is only 1.82m tall (about six feet), which seems to cause a lot of concern among Old Trafford fans on social media.
The numbers
Stats (as per SofaScore.com) show that the 20-year-old has won only 61 per cent of his aerial battles in the Eredivisie this year (1.5 per game) — the same as Victor Lindelof who is 5cm taller and is frequently criticised for poor aerial play.
The Dutchman is also not the stockiest defender out there, his weight being 79 kg (according to a Google search). Still, none of that suggests that Timber will be bullied for every aerial battle in the English top-flight, but he may indeed find it tough to adapt to Premier League's intense physicality.
The decision
All of this could be a cause of alarm but Ten Hag would still want to bring Timber to Man United, and here's why.
The youngster is a versatile player (he can play as a right-back or a defensive midfield), great at moving the ball forward and an overall solid defender.
The new Man United manager will surely aim to dominate possession next year, which means fewer chances for the opponents (bonus point: no Burnley in the Premier League next year).
Moreover, a football analyst and die-hard Man United fan Statman Dave believes that small pacy centre-backs are the future of football as forwards become more unpredictable.
Statman Dave addresses the issue at 2:25:
The conclusion
Yes, Timber may be vulnerable in the air but his strengths and compatibility with the modern game seem to outweigh his weaknesses under the right manager.
And after all, height isn't the only thing to judge a player by. The likes of David Alaba (1.8m), Thiago Silva (1.83m), Ben White (1.82m), Marquinhos (1.83m) make it to the top level despite their height.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are all over 1.78m cenre-back Jules Kounde from Sevilla and there seems to be not a peep in the Blues camp about the France international.
