The rumor mill is grinding again, and this time it's spitting out Alphonso Davies' name with Manchester United. Bayern Munich's electric left-back, a player who redefined the position for a spell, is reportedly on United's radar. It's a tantalizing thought for a club desperate for a definitive solution on the left side of their defense.
Luke Shaw, when healthy, is a top-tier Premier League left-back. He proved that throughout the 2022-23 season, contributing a goal and an assist in the league, and often dictating play from the back. The problem, as it has been for years, is "when healthy." Shaw missed 15 league matches in the 2023-24 campaign, a significant chunk that forced Erik ten Hag to deploy Victor Lindelöf, Sofyan Amrabat, and even Diogo Dalot out of position. Tyrell Malacia, signed in 2022, played only 10 league games in his debut season and none this past year due to injury. That kind of unreliability cripples a squad with Champions League aspirations.
Davies, at 23, offers a different dimension entirely. His blistering pace is a weapon. Remember that Champions League run in 2020? He absolutely terrorized Barcelona, notably leaving Nelson Semedo in his dust during Bayern's infamous 8-2 quarter-final victory. He’s won a Champions League, five Bundesliga titles, and has been a consistent starter for one of Europe's elite clubs since 2019. Last season, he registered two goals and four assists in 29 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern. He’s a proven entity at the highest level, a game-changer on his day.
Here's the thing: Bayern isn't exactly in the business of selling their best young talent on the cheap. Davies' contract runs until June 2025, which gives United a slight opening if he's unwilling to extend. But even then, Bayern will demand a premium. We're talking upwards of £50 million, possibly closer to £60 million, for a player of Davies' caliber and age. United just spent £85 million on Antony, who has scored 8 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions since his arrival in August 2022. The club's transfer market track record isn't exactly filled with shrewd, value-for-money deals.
Look, United needs a left-back, a proper, undisputed starter. As good as Dalot has been filling in, he's a right-back by trade. The lack of natural width and defensive solidity on the left has been a consistent issue, particularly when Shaw is sidelined. Davies would undoubtedly improve the team. His ability to drive forward and recover defensively is almost unmatched. He completed 89% of his passes in the Bundesliga last season, showcasing not just speed but also a growing maturity in possession.
My hot take? United should absolutely go all-in for Davies, even if it means stretching the budget. This isn't another stop-gap signing. This is a generational talent at a position of desperate need. If they can't land him, they need to pivot quickly to another top-tier option. Settling for another injury-prone player or an unproven commodity would be a massive mistake. I predict that if United fails to secure Davies this summer, they'll be back in the market for a left-back again next year, still searching for that elusive long-term solution.