Fabregas missing cog in United defence to attack transition

Despite his assertion that he wants to finish his career at Camp Nou, Barcelona square-peg Cesc Fabregas is reportedly high on new Manchester United manager David Moyes’ shopping list.

Since re-joining the club that made him from Arsenal in 2011 Fabregas has never quite been accommodated in his preferred central midfield berth, with Xavi stubbornly refusing to age and despite productive appearances in the “false nine” role he’s yet make a position his own for the Blaugrana.

At the age of 26 the Spaniard faces the conundrum of whether to wait around for Xavi to abdicate from his throne in the centre of the Barca midfield or make the agonising decision to tear himself away from the teet of his beloved club for a second time in order to realise his potential.

In England there’s an empty seat at the champion’s table for an attack-minded midfield playmaker, that’s been sitting vacant since Paul Scholes ceased to be a week-in-week-out proposition.

Fabregas could be the missing gear in a seamless defence to attack transmission that starts with Michael Carrick and ends with Shinji Kagawa, who like Fabregas is in need only of more games in his favoured (second striker) role to realise his potential.

In a period where Moyes needs to get United’s midfield house in order, having a definitive first choice midfield would be a big boon to the Red Devils. Such a move could precipitate a clear out of players such as Anderson and Ashley Young, who have never come close to making the leap into the indispensable category.

The destination of fellow Barca product Thiago Alcantara may well have some bearing on Cesc’s next move, with United also thought to be keen on the 22-year-old.

Another product of Barca’s famed La Masia youth setup, Alcantara is in a similar mould to Fabregas and it may be that ultimately he is considered the more long term prospect in the Spanish side’s midfield.

With Fabregas alongside Carrick in the United midfield they could prove far more stingy with possession next term, a trait which would be sure to serve them well in European action. It’s 11/1 that Moyes adds the 2013/14 Champions League to the 1999/00 Second Division title that’s currently so lonely in his managerial trophy cabinet.